Aahana Katti & Aditi Ramesh

LITR111 – World Literature 

Prof. Heather Sottong

28/04/2023

 

Myth & Context

 

Stories have long been an integral part of Hindu culture. Most of what we consider to be our religious or holy texts are told orally, in the form of stories. We grew up listening to such religious tales, the main characters of which were the gods we prayed to. This results in the blurring of the line that divides history, myth and fiction. This essay aims to describe the most important characteristics of a myth and apply them to one of the most well-known stories of the Ramayana: Rama Sethu (Rama’s Bridge). To accomplish this, we have chosen to expand on the following four elements of myth, (i) the importance of culture, (ii) the moral(s) of the story, (iii) timelessness and (iv) people’s belief in the myth. We will attempt to elucidate how the story of Rama Sethu connects to these four elements, and therefore, falls into the category of myth.

The shorter of the two great Indian Epics, the Ramayana was originally composed by the poet Valmiki (‘Ramayana’). Written in Sanskrit epic verse, the Ramayana tells the story of the life of Rama, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Ayodhya (‘Ramayana’). The story of Rama Sethu, literally translated to Rama’s Bridge, comes at a pivotal point in the epic poem (‘Ramayana’). After being deposed as heir to Ayodhya due to palace intrigue, Rama retreats to the forest along with his wife Sita and his favourite half-brother Lakshmana to spend 14 years in exile (‘Ramayana’). During this period of banishment the Demon King, Ravana, abducts Sita and takes her across the ocean to his Kingdom of Lanka (‘Ramayana’).

On a quest to rescue Sita from the Demon King, Rama and Lakshmana begin their long, arduous journey to Lanka. After much toil and trouble, they are finally able to set foot upon the South Indian Island of Rameshwaram; the Indian Ocean the only obstacle left in their path (Raikar). From their starting point at Rameshwaram, the brothers build Rama Sethu to Lanka with the help of a Vanara Sena (Monkey Army) and Hanuman, a gifted general and Son of Vayu (God of Wind) (Cartwright). Together, they construct Rama Sethu out of floating pumice stones made unsinkable by writing the name of ‘Lord Rama’ on the rocks’ surface (‘Rama’s Bridge’).

In traditional Hindu culture, the Ramayana is often called ‘Adikavya’, which translates to ‘the first poem’. This points to the fact that it is one of the most fundamental works that contribute to the structure and functioning of Hindu society. According to Tulidas’ Ramayana, the story of God was said to “bring about the good of the world” (Hooda). It goes without saying that the significance the Ramayana has on Hindu culture is gargantuan; it is seen as an inspirational text and as a guide to the principles that govern the Hindu way of life ‘Dharam Raj’. It teaches us that an individual should put one’s duty ahead of one’s emotions – which is exemplified by Lord Rama. In the Ramayana, Rama presents a hero that people can follow and look up to. Not to mention, one of the biggest festivals in Hindu Culture, Diwali or Deepavali, celebrates the return of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana from their 14 year long exile.

The story of Rama Sethu has a massive influence on Indian Hindu culture. The story of Rama Sethu is a moment of difficulty for Rama, which he overcomes by adhering to his Dharmic principles. The story has given importance to Rameshwaram Island as an auspicious place of worship, causing hundreds of devout Rama followers to visit the island and repent their sins. This pilgrimage-esque aspect of the story is very common amongst a majority of myths around the world and supports our argument that the story of Rama Sethu is a myth.

The Rama Sethu is a highly important narrative in the overall story of Ramayana. It reflects Rama’s qualities as a skilled leader and symbolises the heartfelt connect between felt between husband and wife. While the Ramayana as a whole demonstrates the moral code of its time, this particular story within the epic showcases Rama’s triumph over the last hurdle in his path to Sita; the story of Rama Sethu evolved to become a testament to the resilience and ambition of Rama and his Varana Sena. Crossing the channel between Sri Lanka and India was believed to be an impossible feat, however, this task is accomplished through Rama’s dedication and his divine powers. This is most evident when Hanuman and the rest of the Vanara Sena wrote Rama’s name on the pumice stones, causing them to float and be walked upon. This aspect of orthodox religious faith helped promote the idea that worshipping the divine can help humanity achieve the impossible. Further, it is also described as the code of conduct of Rama and all his disciples. Rama emulates the ideal leader, while Hanuman and the Vanara Sena demonstrate the dedication and devotion that mortals should show the gods. In this manner of assimilation, the story of Rama Sethu has had a moral presence in the rules of society. As mentioned earlier, myths often illustrate how people should co-exist in society. These aspects further our argument that the Rama Sethu fits the category of myth.

One common aspect of myths is their setting. Almost all myths take place in some sort of distant, ancient past (Katti). This also rings true for the Ramayana, and while the poem was first written down around 300 BCE, the story has existed orally for a much longer period of time. According to geological evidence, the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar were formerly a part of the Kaveri River basin (Raikar). The outline of the area formed as a result of long-term tectonic movements, and the distinct shapes of these features helped facilitate coral growth in the region (Raikar). This coral then caught sand, creating the strip of coastline that we believe to be Rama Sethu. These theories surrounding the existence of the Rama Sethu, add an aspect of timelessness to the story, another important feature of myths. This also aligns with William Bascom’s theory that “there is no time before myth”.

The prominent scholar Sheldon Pollock, wrote about the importance of Rama in Hindu mythology in his paper, ‘The Ramayana of Valmiki’. He argues that while Ram started out as an ordinary man, his status was elevated to that of Vishnu’s avatar as the story progressed through time (Gonzalez-Reimann). This is important to people’s belief in the myth since it alludes that an ordinary man can achieve the status of God by following Dharam Raj. This is why Rama is arguably the most respected and well-known avatar of Vishnu. Moreover, his character displays some amount of relatability, since his divinity is carefully hidden away by Valmiki for the majority of the story. In the Ramayana’s five primary volumes, Rama’s travels and exploits are primarily portrayed as those of a remarkable human being; the author’s intention might have been to present a more realistic and “closer to home” image of God. Moreover, the idea of Rama as a concealed god “construes meaningfully with the central themes of the poem as a whole” (Pollock). The exemplification of Rama’s character is yet another common characteristic of myths – several myths are inspired by real people and are later immensely exaggerated.

In the story of Rama Sethu, Rama’s divinity is revealed through the pumice stones that float when his name is written on them. However, in modern society people have tried to prove the existence of the Ram Setu through scientific means; the pumice stones from in and around Rameshwaram are seen to possess a lot of air pockets, allowing them to float, especially in low-density saline water (Tiwari). This shows just how much Hindus consider Rama to be an extraordinary human being, even if in this case he is not necessarily seen as a God. Finally, it also helps prove that this story is a myth since it is a widely believed story in Hindu society.

In conclusion, we believe that the story of Rama Sethu is indeed a myth, particularly owing to its cultural and societal significance. The story is believed to have taken place by a large section of the global Hindu community, which mirrors Katti’s basic components of myths. Furthermore, Rama’s elevation from a mortal king to a divine figure is one of the many principal features of myths. We argue that the receptive history of the Ramayana is significantly more important and influential than its genetic history; such a viewpoint allows us to better appreciate what the epic poem may have meant, and still means, to Indian society (Pollock). All things considered, each of the discussed features of the story of Rama Sethu cumulatively helps solidify our argument that the story should, indeed, be categorised as a myth
 

Works Cited

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Cartwright, Mark. “Rama.” World History Encyclopedia, 31 Mar. 2023, https://www.worldhistory.org/Rama/.

 

Gonzalez-Reimann, Luis. “THE DIVINITY OF RĀMA IN THE ‘RĀMĀYAṆA’ OF VĀLMĪKI.” JSTOR, Springer, June 2006, https://www.jstor.org/stable/23497361.

 

Hooda, Ruchika. The Need and Influence Of The Ramayana in Today’s Cultural Context. THINK INDIA (Quarterly Journal), 3 July 2019, https://thinkindiaquarterly.org/index.php/think-india/article/view/8903/4762. 

 

Joi, Mari. “Myth: A Resolution of Time and Timelessness in the Development of Science.” Academia.edu, 16 July 2014, https://www.academia.edu/7683622/Myth_A_Resolution_of_Time_and_Timelessness_in_the_Development_of_Science.

 

Katti, Aahana. “Definition of Myth.” 9 Mar. 2023.

 

Pollock, Sheldon I., and Valmiki. The Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki: An Epic of Ancient India. Edited by Robert P. Goldman, Vol. II Ayodhyakanda, Princeton University Press, 2016.

 

Raikar, Sanat Pai. “Adam’s Bridge.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 18 Feb. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/place/Adams-Bridge.

 

“Ram Setu 18,400 Years Old: Study.” Deccan Chronicle, Deccan Chronicle, 31 Jan. 2018, https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/310118/ram-setu-18400-years-old-study.html. 

 

“Ramayana.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 28 Mar. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ramayana-Indian-epic.

 

“Rama’s Bridge.” Vedantu, 29 Nov. 2022, https://www.vedantu.com/stories/overview-of-ramas-bridge.

 

Roychowdhury, Adrija. “The Myth and Mystery behind Ram Setu.” The Indian Express, 25 Oct. 2022, https://indianexpress.com/article/research/why-the-ram-setu-debate-has-ignored-both-mythology-and-environment-8222105/.

 

Tiwari, Satyam. “Understanding the Yet Unsolved Mystery of ‘RAM SETU.’” Medium, 30 Mar. 2021, https://medium.com/sharing-ideas/understanding-the-yet-unsolved-mystery-of-ram-setu-e99d589ea6ed.