Indian Council of Historical Research to find out nature of Ram Setu

NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Historical Research has decided to conduct a pilot study to ascertain whether ‘Ram Setu’ is a natural phenomenon or a manmade structure.

ICHR chairperson YS Rao told a news conference in New Delhi on Friday that a two-month pilot project will be conducted in October-November for the same.

“One of the major projects that we are going to initiate is the Ram Setu pilot project which will seek to find out if these structures were results of natural phenomenon or manmade,” he told reporters ahead of ICHR’s three-day national seminar on Antiquity Continuity and Development of Civilisation and Culture in Bharat ( India) up to 1st Millennium BC.

The ICHR’s “purpose only is to explore it from archaeological standpoint”, when asked on possible correlation of the findings with the Ramayana and its many versions.

The Ramayana relates how Lord Ram and his associates built a bridge across the sea to Lanka to bring his consort Sita back to Ayodhya after she was kidnapped by Ravana. The Sethusamudram shipping canal project off Tamil Nadu coast has been held up for almost two decades for fear of damaging the Ram Setu.

Rao added this is “completely an ICHR initiative but we may approach the Centre if needed. Our project could inspire others, even our government to further take up this project,” Rao said. Experts from the Archeological Survey of India, research scholars, marine experts and scientists will also be involved in the project, the ICHR chairman said. India is woefully short of underwater archeological experts.

The country's sole underwater archaeologist is expected to be roped in by ICHR.

“A nationwide selection process would pick up students and scholars from various universities to be part of the team. We are going to hold a two-week workshop on history of oceanic archaeology by May or June. During that event, we will also identify scholars, students and trainers who could be part of this ambitious project,” he said.