The Sethusamudram Ship canal project involves the cutting of a ship canal across Rameswaram island near Kothandaramaswamy temple to connect Gulf of Manner in the Palk Bay so that the ships moving between eastern and western coast of India need not go around Srilanka. This will save about 400 nautical miles of sailing for ships between east and west coast.

Lord Rama’s heritage, including the holy city of Rameshwaram is in danger with the launch of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project by the Indian Government (dredging work started Dec. 1, 2006).

The visual proof from the google and NASA satellite images clearly depict the presence of a bridge connecting India and SriLanka as described in the most revered Hindu scripture “The Ramayana”. Any damage to the Rama’s Bridge is an insult to the religious sentiments of over one billion people.

NASA experts are of the firm belief that the bridge was made of a chain of shoals, 30 km long, in the Palk Straits between Dhanuskoti and Srilanka.

The historical bridge was built by Vanara architect Nala and it is believed to be the most ancient, longest and widest bridge in the world. This bridge once used by Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Hanuman, Sugriva and the Vanara Sena has become a point of pride and worship for the crores of the people living in India and is thousands of year old.

Despite of this known facts, it is believed that the Sethusamudram project was hastily started without enough awareness and consultations of the Hindu people around the world. This project will have far-reaching implications and detrimental effects for all Hindus.

Just like some of the classical Greek and Egyptian treasures and heritage are being excavated in the West from below the sea, there is a strong possibility for excavation of the Poompuhar heritage. But this will be lost by the Sethusamudaram Ship Channel.

Experts have also argued that the design of the Channel is likely to invite a tsunami type of effect that could wash out Rameshwaram, which is one of the holiest city for Hindus, that will get submerged like Dhanushkodi, which got submerged in the 1960s and like Poompuhar, which got submerged in the Sangam period.

In the assessment of Dr.T.S.Murty, leading tsunami expert, the Sethusamudram project could cause a tsunami with drastic consequences for the entire shoreline extending from Dhanushkodi to Ernakulam, and from the Delft Island to Colombo.

Furthermore, destroying the barrier between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea is likely to result in a severe climatic changes such that the very pattern of monsoon rainfall in India could get altered for the worse. This will have an enormous disastrous effect on India’s climate that will result in destruction of crops and ecological treasures.

Despite of the warnings by the experts, the project got a green light to go ahead. This clearly indicates that government had set its mind to destroy the world heritage. Taking into account the historical, cultural, economical, and religious sentiments associated with Rama’s Bridge, we are making an earnest appeal to the Honorable President of India and members of the Indian Government to immediately abandon the Sethusamudram project and direct the authorities concerned to stop the destruction of Rama’s Bridge.

We must all arise to protect our culture, traditions, religious sentiments, and monuments in India and around the world.