The European Space Agency has shared an image of the Ram Setu taken by its Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite. Also known as the Adam’s Bridge, it is a chain of shoals linking India and Sri Lanka.
The Ram Setu stretches 48 km between Rameswaram Island, off the southeast coast of India, connecting the Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. It separates the Gulf of Mannar (south), an inlet of the Indian Ocean, from the Palk Strait (north), an inlet of the Bay of Bengal.
While there are numerous theories about how the bridge was formed, geologic evidence suggests that these limestone shoals are the remnants of land that once linked India with Sri Lanka.
As per reports, this “natural bridge was traversable until the 15th century, after which it was gradually eroded by storms over the years,” the European Space Agency said.
It noted that some of the sandbanks are dry, while the sea here is very shallow, only 1–10 m deep, as indicated by the light colour of the water.
Covering around 130 sq km, Mannar Island is connected to mainland Sri Lanka by a road bridge as well as a railway bridge. Both of them are visible at the southern end of the island.
On the Indian side, the Rameswaram Island — also popular as Pamban Island — can be accessed via the 2-km-long Pamban Bridge. Here, the two main towns are Pamban, on the western edge, and Rameswaram, which is around 10 km east of Pamban.
Both sections of the Ram Setu are part of protected national parks in their respective countries.
“The sand dunes serve as breeding grounds for birds such as the brown noddy, while numerous species of fish and sea grasses thrive in the shallow waters. Sea life around Adam’s Bridge includes dolphins, dugongs and turtles,” the European Space Agency added.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Arichal Munai, the starting point of the Ram Setu.
