In two more years, much would be revealed about the legendary Ram Setu, Sunil Kumar Singh, director of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), said on Wednesday. He also stated that the NIO was in the process of undertaking a drilling project at the Setu’s supposed site.
According to Singh, the site located near Rameshwaram island off Tamil Nadu coast, was covered with sand, making it difficult to carry out any research.
Singh said that as sea level kept increasing over the years, a lot of the former land—that once connected India and Sri Lanka—has been submerged. “So, what we are going to do is undertake a drilling project in the area (to) collect samples,” he said about the submerged land. He then explained that more samples would be collected from nearby areas to be able to gather more data and results to be compared. “And we will be able to tell something about the Ram Setu,” Singh told reporters during an event at NIO’s campus near here.
The Goa-based NIO along with the Archaeological Survey of India have been directed by the central government to carry out scientific research related to the Ram Setu project.
According to mythology, Lord Ram had facilitated the construction of the Setu in order to reach Lanka and bring back his wife Sita, who was abducted by Ravana, the king of Lanka. Singh said that the NIO had already made two trips to the site but could not learn much as it was submerged.
“We have tried to find the physical location through geophysical surveys…because right now…it is submerged…Sea level keeps on increasing,” Singh said.
Published 08 June 2022, 21:45 IST