Nala, Nila, and Ram Setu
Nala and Nila are architects of faith. They built a
bridge between the mortal and the divine, a bridge that mortal creatures built
for an immortal god, a bridge between human effort and divine purpose.
Ram Setu, aka Adam’s Bridge today,
connects India with Sri Lanka, from Rameswaram to Mannar Island. It is a
48-km-long chain of limestone shoals, sandbanks, and islets that run across the
Palk Strait. The ocean is quite shallow in the region: 1 to 10 metres deep.
Science tells us that the ‘bridge’ is a natural formation, resulting from a combination of coral reefs, sand and sediment deposition, tidal and wave actions, and rising sea levels over thousands of years. Some surveys also suggest that the top layer contains stones resting on a base of sand, which is unusual and could indicate human intervention. Moreover, the bridge was reportedly walkable until the 15th century.
In the Ramayana, the bridge was built
by the Vanaras under the guidance of Nala and Nila, sons of Vishwakarma, divine
architect. Nala and Nila were commanders in Rama’s Vanara army.
I won’t deny the possibility of human
enterprise in the formation of Ram Setu. Nala and Nila could as well be some
ancient adventurous architects. If we can construct the Chenab Rail Bridge and
the Rohtang Tunnel today, then some Nala and Nila could have constructed the
Ram Setu a few millennia ago. Carbon dating tells us that the Ram Setu may be
around 7,000 years old, though parts appear to be 3,500 years old.
There is something similar in Japan.
Off the coast of Yonaguni lie massive stone formations that resemble stepped
terraces, straight walls, and flat platforms, which appear to be a man-made
structure. It is estimated to be 10,000 years old. Like Ram Setu, it lies under
shallow sea, looks engineered, and is placed in the realm between natural and
man-made.
There are others too: the Bimini Road
near Bimini Island in Bahamas. The submerged city of Dwarka in the Gulf of
Khambhat is another. The Stone Spheres of Costa Rica deserve similar attention.
What fascinates me personally is the blend of myth, metaphor, and mystery in such structures. Nala and Nila deserve more attention.
PS. I’m
participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. This
series looks at the Ramayana from various angles.
Tomorrow: Omens in the Ramayana
Previous Posts in this
series:
Chitrakoot: The Antithesis of Ayodhya
Hari Om
ReplyDeleteThe acceptance of the engineering and architectural prowess of the various pyramidal structures around the world are now not questioned, indeed, admired. Why should the same wonder not be accorded the less accessible underwater places? Even as natural phenomena I think a degree of awe is surely appropriate.YAM xx
If we could get more relaible info on this Setu, it would help in fostering admiration. Otherwise a lot of scepticism is natural. I know well, and you too, that the Setu could not have been built by the Vanaras. So who built it? The question still remains. Who were Nala and Nila, in reality?
DeleteThe famous Ram Setu. One of the many marvels in the world.
ReplyDeleteUndoubtedly. Given the shallowness of the sea at the time of the Setu's construction, it would not have been an impossible task. A lot of effort, of course.
DeleteThank you for the information and analyses of parallel bridges in the world. When the time of construction of the bridge is unknown sheerly because it was in the long invisible past, it acquires divine significance!
ReplyDeleteDivinity is something humans love to possess! Will some remotely future generation begin to think of our skyscrapers or flyovers (like the AIIMS one in Delhi) as miracles of divine origin? Well... just to create a perspective.
DeleteI had no idea about the other bridges around the world. The Ram Setu can be seen as a divine bridge or an architectural marvel, whichever way we like it but it surely is awesome. I wish we could get more knowledge about it.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed your post on Nala, Nila, and the Ram Setu. The way you seamlessly blend myth, history, and speculation is truly captivating. Your perspective on the Ram Setu as a bridge between the mortal and the divine resonates deeply. The idea that Nala and Nila were not just mythical figures but possibly real engineers adds a fascinating layer to the narrative. I appreciate how you challenge the conventional views and encourage readers to think critically about historical events. Your mention of other mysterious structures around the world, like the Yonaguni Monument and Bimini Road, provides a broader context that enriches the discussion. The connection you draw between ancient engineering feats and modern marvels is thought-provoking. I'm particularly intrigued by your suggestion that the Ram Setu could have been a human endeavor, constructed with advanced knowledge of architecture and engineering. Your writing not only educates but also inspires curiosity about our shared history.
ReplyDeleteI am personally seeking answers to these issues and that's why the questions keep boiling. The answers to some of these questions/speculations may alter our history itself.
Deletethanks
ReplyDeleteGreat to read your post on Ram Setu, Amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI too wish we get more information on this. History will change!
ReplyDeleteI don't see why it couldn't have been made by ancient peoples. They had many skills and managed to a whole lot that we wouldn't imagine. If one needed a way to get across the water, why not?
ReplyDeleteAnd that's highly possible too. However, humans love some divine touch to all that's not scientifically explained yet. And so this bridge, or whatever it is, is associated with our epic and a god.
DeleteI appreciate your attitude of Tentativeness.. And equally the Poetic Imagination of the author of Valmikiramayana, to transform an existing Geological Entity into a Divine Masterpiece. What is deplorable is the Political Opportunism of the Ramabhakts to cut through the Ramasetu, towards the end of the Ramasethu, to save on time and fuell, just before the Vajpayee govt fell, but opposed the same plan, when taken up by the following Congress Govt, raising the Slogan over the Ramasethu. Greed and Expediency lead humans manipulate the supposedly Divine and the Wondersome....
ReplyDeleteIt is the same politics and its gimmicks that prompted me to undertake this study of the epic. The more I understand it, the less I appreciate the politics being played in the name of its hero.
DeleteIndia under current political leadership will soon declare the structure as a national monument and uphold the role of Rama as "the unifying force" of India.
I had been to Rameswaram & I had seen the floating rocks . It was just unbelievable. The comparison of Ram Setu to other global constructions is a fascinating take. I am sure there is so much about Ram Setu that we do not know & may be we will in future.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm sure too that we'll get to know a lot more as time moves on.
DeleteYour effort to highlight similar structures from around the world made this post interesting. I am surprised to know we did carbon dating for Ram Setu.
ReplyDeleteThere's much scientific interest in the construction. That's natural, isn't it?
Delete