A cursory examination of large-scale maps, we will see that beautiful Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian subcontinent by a relatively wide Strait of Polk, about 100 km long. The distance for an ordinary person is quite serious, but the scrolls kept in local temples speak of a land passage between flourishing Ceylon and the mainland that existed until the XY century.
On some of the surviving manuscripts, the legendary Adam's Bridge is indicated as a strip of land. According to ancient chronicles, the priceless trail was finally destroyed by 1480 after a series of powerful hurricanes and earthquakes.
Space images clearly show the location of a 30 km long sandbank between the islands of Mannar and Pamban, the width of which varies in places from 1.5 to 4 km. A normal passage exists here only for small ships between Rameswaram and Ramnad Cape.
In other places, the depth of the strait ranges from half a meter to 1.25 m. At low tide, dozens of tiny islands appear on the water, according to legend, being the remains of the divine Adam's Bridge.
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According to the epic "Ramayana" people under the leadership of Emperor Rama worked together with the monkey army of Vanaras to create the Setubandhanam passage. The allies sought to fight the demon Ravana who took refuge in Sri Lanka, who risked stealing his beloved wife from Rama. In Islam, a chain of sandbanks is also considered a sacred path. According to Muslim parables, it was here that the exiled from Paradise Adam walked in search of Eve after his fall from the blessed Garden of Eden.
Today, the historic passage is a terrible problem for navigators, forcing them to bypass a large island along a 400 km long arc, while losing more than a day of time. Attempts to deepen the strait meet resistance from Buddhists and environmentalists.
After constant breakdowns of dredgers and a severe storm, the last works were interrupted without serious results. An alternative option for the construction of a canal in the vicinity of the village of Mandapam is already being considered, during the implementation of which the remains of the Adam's Bridge are practically not affected.
