Ram Setu Map: Indian scientists have created the most detailed map of Ram Setu (Adam’s Bridge) using data from an American satellite. This map is as large as a train carriage and it shows that the 29-kilometer long Ram Setu is 8 meters above sea level. The map was created by ISRO scientists and published in Scientific Reports.


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Ram Setu, or Adam’s Bridge, connects India’s Rameswaram Island to Sri Lanka’s Mannar Island. It is a chain of limestone shoals, mostly underwater, with no rocks or vegetation. According to the epic Ramayana, this bridge was built by Lord Rama’s monkey army to reach Lanka.



ISRO’s Jodhpur and Hyderabad centers used NASA's ICESat-2 satellite, which has a laser altimeter to measure underwater structures. Data from October 2018 to October 2023 helped scientists create a detailed 10-meter resolution map of the submerged ridge.


What We Know About Ram Setu? 


Ram Setu Is 99.98% Submerged


Most of Ram Setu is under shallow water, making it hard to survey by ships. Scientists found 11 narrow channels under the bridge, 2-3 meters deep, that help water flow between the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait.


What Is The Geological Connection? 


The research confirms that Adam’s Bridge is an underwater extension of Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar Island. It has a varying depth, with a 1.5-kilometer stretch in extremely shallow water.


What Is The Volume Ram Setu? 


The total volume of Adam’s Bridge is about 1 km³, but only 0.02% of it is above sea level. This matches satellite imagery showing that most of the bridge is submerged.


What Is History Of Ram Setu? 


Geological evidence shows India and Sri Lanka were once part of the ancient Gondwana supercontinent, which moved north and joined the Laurasian continent 35-55 million years ago. Tectonic activity and sea level changes likely formed the land bridge.