Bhagavadgita Pages, Chapters 1 to 18
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V.Krishnaraj
V.Krishnaraj received oral permission directly from Dr.Subramanian Swamy July 26, 2008 at Arsha Bodha Center, Sommerset, NJ.USA to publish extracts from his book, Rama Setu. I interspersed this write-up with my comments.
Text in blue is my input and texts in black are extracts from the book and elsewhere.
Rama Sethu is Rama's bridge The other names are Ramar Palam (þáÁ÷ À¡Äõ), Adam's Bridge, Limestone Shoals. Overland Geological Connection existed between India and Sri Lanka in the past. Rama Setu's geographical location is between southeastern coastal line of Tamil Nadu and northwest Sri Lanka. Ramar Palam was a spit off Tamil Nadu on which ancient people traveled on foot from south India to Sri Lanka.
Some researchers have concluded that it was during the period 6000 B.C. to 3000 B.C. that the island (Sri Lanka) separated from the Indian sub continent and the narrow strip of shallow water known today as the Palk Straits came into existence.-Tamil Nation.
Harper's Dictionary of Hinduism says, 'Rama's bridge is an outcrop of rocks in the channel between India and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), described in the Ramayana as a causeway built of coral by 'Nala, Rama's army commander.'
The following in faded text is my input from various sources.
Sita, Rama's wife, means Furrow. She is the Furrow; we don't need a furrow in the Rama Setu. The West says that the furrows in the field being the repository of the seeds were regarded as the earth's female generative organs. In the beginning of the sowing season, 12 furrows representing the months of the year were ritually ploughed by the king or chieftain in the first field (Tait.Sam., V.2,5)
Furrow in English and Tranche in French mean the same, while the latter is a French slang for vulva. We have to assume the English word Trench meaning a path made by cutting is cognate with Tranche in French.
In ancient cultures, a prevailing belief was that people appeared from the furrow of the earth. Etruscans of ancient Italy and Corsica believed that god Tages appeared in the furrow ploughed by Tarchon, the builder of the city. This reminds us of not only Sita found in the furrow by her father Janaka but also Andal found in the furrow in the flower garden by Vishnu Chittar. Etruscans called their earth goddess, Cel (Bhudevi of Hindus). Sita is Ayonija (A + Yoni = Not + Womb) meaning that she was not womb-born. In many cultures including Islam (Koran II,22, women are the plough-land indicating their fertility and giving rise to progeny.
When Colonialism was on the ascent, all indigenous people were called earth people, native people, first people (autochthonous people). They spoke autochthonous language, while the colonists spoke civilized language. Autochthon = auto + chthon = Self or spontaneous + earth. Before Greeks came to Greece, the original native non-Greeks were called Autochthonous people or barbarians. Now they are finding out that Sanskrit was the Mother Tongue of the so-called Indo-European Languages. See how things turn upside down.
The bridge spans 30 miles and is a natural wall between the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay. You may even see dry sand in some places along the shoal. The shoal is 3 to 30 feet deep, making it impossible to ply boats. Marco Polo of 13th Century documented its existence. There is Pamban Bridge between the Island of Ramesvaram and Mainland India. The Pamban Bridge on the Palk Strait spans across the sea for about 2.3 miles. Rameswaram is a holy Hindu Pilgrimage center, from where Rama launched the rescue of Sita. Ramesvaram is the starting point, according to legend, for Ramar Bridge or Rama Setu. Rama worshipped Siva here for expiation of the sin of Brahmahatya of Ravana, the abductor of Sita, a Brahmana and the Great Grandson of Brahma. Siva thus gained the name, the Lord of Rama (Rameswara). Kasi and Rameswaram rank equally among Saivites. Dr. Abdul Kalam, the Nuclear Physicist, and the Rocket Man of India comes from Dhanushkodi, a fishing hamlet in Rameswaram. It is my belief that he is an admirer of Rama.
Here is the brief background story. Rama the young prince was banished from his kingdom up in the north by palace intrigue. He lived in the forest with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana. One day, Ravana, the ruler of Sri Lanka abducted and took her to Sri Lanka. Ramah built a bridge across the sea to Sri Lanka with the help of a simian army of which Hanuman was one of the important fighters and devotee of Rama, who is regarded as the incarnation of Vishnu. Rama marched to Sri Lanka with his army, defeated and killed Ravana and rescued Sita. That bridge is Rama's bridge.
Rama Sethu is a two part bridge according to legend, the first part was a Floating Stone Bridge from Mainland to Rameswaram and the second Bridge from Rameswaram to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The submerged Stone Bridge is seen from satellite images as also the the second part. NASA Satellite pictures, according to reports, indicate a broken bridge or coral line between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar.
Should it be declared a National heritage?
Biblical Adam, the legend says, emerged from the Garden of Eden. Ceylon says was the Garden of Eden. Adam stood on the Conical Mountain Rock on one foot and left a hollow footprint according to Muslims, Christians and Jews. Tamils call the mountain Sivanolipatha Malai = º¢Åý ´Ç¢ À¡¾ Á¨Ä = Siva-Splendor-Foot-Mountain; the hollow is the footprint of Siva. The Buddhists believe it is the footprint of Buddha. Now that we know the legend behind the Adam's Bridge and the mountain, should we not poll the Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus all over the world to find out what they want to do with Adam's Bridge. Dredge it or not? Carve a Furrow or not? What is their religious opinion in this matter today?
Why should we a build a shipping lane between Sri Lanka and India? Is it environmentally safe? Will a shipping lane ruin the eco system and make the people more prone to future tsunamis? Is the canal justifiable as to its expense, maintenance, and utility? It is a natural wall between the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay, thus attenuating the ravages of a tsunami? In the last tsunami, the Rama Setu escaped unscathed. Keralites should thank Rama Setu for standing against the tsunami. Is it a project that helps only a few people? It is not going to be a Suez Canal by any means. Damages caused by the Furrow may not justify the economic advantages it is purported to offer.
Oil tankers cannot ply the waters even if the Furrow is carved in the shoal. The dredged sand dumped on the Indian side will have impact on the fishing industry. Sand will keep filling the furrow; maintenance is expensive and a continual process.
I would consider the prevailing mood of Hindus on the Sanctity of Ram Setu. Is it considered sacred by the majority of Hindus? Is it environmentally safe? Does it bring economic benefits to the public? These are the questions. Majority of Hindus consider Rama Setu is sacred as it is today and thus abnegates nebulous benefits.
Hindustan Times says the following:
'The reason cited for constructing the canal is that ships will be able to move from India’s west coast to its east coast without having to navigate around Sri Lanka. The channel will purportedly save 36 hours of shipping time and 570 nautical miles.'
'We would rather go with the scientific belief that the ‘bridge’ is a natural string of coral reefs. That brings up environmental questions of its own — including the matter of the underwater structure providing a natural defense to disasters like the 2004 tsunami.'
'There is the issue of whether the traffic that will generate the bulk of the revenues — ships from ports outside India — will at all use the ‘toll canal’ when it will be cheaper to take the longer route. For another, taking the ‘short cut’ will amount to much less time actually saved than the projected 36 hours, as ships will have to travel at a much slower speed (not to mention on more expensive fuel) once they enter the canal waters.'
'Somebody forgot to take a real long look at the SSCP’s feasibility report. While we don’t agree with the VHP regarding why the project (incidentally kicked off by the previous NDA government) needs to be stopped, we do believe that there is a case to go back to the drawing board. The present government shouldn’t feel embarrassed about stopping the creation of yet another white elephant.'
The following information is from the book, Rama Setu by Subramaniyan Swamy. The opinion is mine. The extracts from the book may not be Dr. Swami's own words.
It is not important what politicians, contractors and vested interests think about Rama Setu. They are servants of the people and so should listen to the voters. The Voters (with Capital V) said that the trains in the tunnel for the Delhi Metro in the neighborhood of Qutub Minar could damage the Qutub Minar by vibrations and so the route was redirected. Bangalore Metro Project authority in deference to the wishes of the Voters changed the course of the tunnel because the Voters said the proposed tunnel adjoining Tippu Sultan's Palace could cause damage to it. The opposing Delhiwallas or the Bangaloreans are not structural engineers and yet the the authorities listened to them and changed the course of the tunnels. The reality is different from perception. The Indian authorities paid attention to the perception of the Voters. The voter is the boss in India and feels his or her oats; once peeved, out goes the Government and and a new party comes to power. Politicians are afraid of the people as some observed in TV news that the French Government also is afraid of the people. In other countries, people are afraid of the Govt.
Coming back to the alleged pandering by the Government to unreasonable demands, I want to bring the following to your attention. If you want to feel and hear the real rattle, take a ride in Big City Mass Transit in some parts of the world and feel the jolts, the screeches, the sparks, the bends, and the shakes. Yet the rides are quite safe. Most of the commuters avert their eyes from allegedly shifty eyes of those whose intent is not commuting but borrowing property without express permission. You can take comfort; there is always someone watching and ready to pounce and take on assaults and thefts. The commuters take all this in stride. Some straphangers wrap their legs around the steel poles to steady themselves for the ride in the subway, the underground or the tube. Some keep their feet wide apart and hang on to the straps. And yet people bump into each other; their shopping bags take autonomous ride along the floor to unintended destinations upon mid-route unscheduled sudden screechy stops and spill their contents at the feet of fellow passengers; the children clutch their parents and the fellow passengers for their dear life. On the road above you can certainly feel the vibrations and hear the subterranean thunderclaps of moving trains and yet the skyscrapers are still standing and defy the vibrations caused by the trains. The building are constructed in such ways that they can stand all the vibrations caused by the trains. The seismic energy released by the moving trains cause earthquakes of lower order in the Richter Magnitude Scale. Big City Sky scrapers are built on solid rock or deep foundations. If Big City voters object to all the mini-quakes and vibrations, the whole city and the nation will come to a stop.
Considering the cojones (indelicately characterized by an observer) of the minority in India of whom the Government is afraid, the Hindu majority out of age-old torpidity let things slide; there are politicians who play on both sides and change their minds according to the shifting winds of minority opinion. The politicians keep their fingers on the rhythm and pulse of the minority and respond immediately to appease their causeless peeves. The minorities are considered in terms of vote bank and nothing more by the politicians. There is no question that the moral and spiritual health of the nation is based on how it treats its minority, the least, the last and the loneliest. The same paradigm should apply to the care of the majority.
I know from experience and books (written in the last few hundred years expressing anti-Hindu sentiments), Hindu religion is under seize both inside and outside the country. I would not say that Hinduism is a perfect religion, but the best that you can find on earth. Hinduism is not guilty of invasions, occupations, priestly perversions, conversions, torture of other religions... That by themselves speak a lot about the virtue of Hinduism. No religion says that one has to lay supine and take violence, wherever it comes from.
Donald A Mackenzie says that Brahma took Gayatri, the milkmaid, as a second wife because his chief wife, Sarasvati, despite her wisdom arrived late for a certain important ceremony, at which the spouse of the god was required. Sarasvati cursed Brahma so that he could only be worshipped once a year. page 44, 149 Myths & Legends of India.
The following commentary by the author (Krishnaraj) is an analysis rather than an expression of vexation. Dear mack: Calling Gayatri the milkmaid is as bad, idiotic, inconsiderate and ignorant as calling the Lord Jesus Christ the unemployed carpenter and a loser, President Truman the out-of-his-league haberdasher, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965) the Bulldog that barked in queen's English, Honorable Jewish Matchmaker Shadchan a pimp, Bible a Jewish Fairy tale, Prophet Moses a shepherd who lost his way.... Sarasvati, despite her wisdom arrived late: This characterization of dissociating wisdom from late-coming is a subtle and yet obvious insult to Sarasvati, who is the goddess of arts, music and letters. mack expects all wise people to show up on time; only stupid people show up late. All this goes to show that the West goes out of the way to denigrate Hinduism in any way it can. What mack says is that Brahma, the Scholar of scholars, left a learned woman for a milkmaid. mack must have felt a vicarious glee at this scandal. West treats Hinduism in a manner the media treats Paris Hilton or Jamie Lynn Spears. (Feb 2008). Sensationalism is its currency. Brahma's consorts are his energies. What Sarasvati represents in Brahma is His Creative Aspect and Knowledge required for such an act. Sarasvati's other names are Gayatri, Satarupa, Savitri and Brahmani. Actually her full name is Sarasvati Gayatri, who is the personified energy of Brahma. Many names of Sarasvati are intended to depict her essential quality in each of her names. When Sarasvati was busy with other important chores, Sarasvati sent herself in the name of Gayatri (a deity can do such things) for the sacrifice which could not continue without the physical presence of wife. Sarasvati is a river, wife of Brahma, daughter of Brahma, goddess of all arts and sciences, a milkmaid....Remember mack, in your days when there was no supermarket (Yes, I am talking to a dead man), your wife was a milkmaid. I bet you had a milch cow around ready and willing to be milked by your wife. Let me give you an example as to how mack has interpreted Brahma's marriage to Gayatri (the milkmaid). King and queen attend a ball. The queen on occasions adjusts his pillow, makes his bed, cooks his meals, and makes coffee for the king. What mack says is that the king takes his maid (cook) for the ball.
The beauty of Hinduism is expressed in its name, Sanatana Dharma (…¿¡¾É ¾ÕÁõ = Eternal Law). It is based on values and not on any one person and his or her tenets. Religious tenets are dynamic and not written on a stone, once written and forgotten for ever. Any religion that is in conversion business must have deficiencies. If it is wholesome (Purna = âýõ = Fullness, Plenitude, Perfection), it does not need the numbers to support its tenets, which should stand on their merits and should not need props like conversion.
Violation of Rama Setu and dredging a furrow will encourage terrorism and smuggling more than it will serve shipping. The project goes by the name, Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SSCP). The Channel will have the depth of 10 to 14 meters and a width of 300-500 meters across Rama Sethu. Such a furrow will only facilitate passage of small ships and not the big ones on international routes. Ships under 40,000 DWT (Deadweight Tonnage) only can use this channel. Deadweight tonnage at any given time is defined as the sum of the weights or masses of cargo, fuel, fresh water, ballast water, provisions, passengers and crew. DWT has nothing to do with water displacement. The Indian Navy is not asking for a channel.
Vice Admiral Homi Contractor declared SSCP is a Security threat.
SSCP has been in existence since 1860 on paper in nine proposals. Justice Thomas declared April 5 2007 that Ram Sethu should not be broken based on the geological implications and the religious sentiments of the people of Bharat. Prof. Tad Satyam Murthy, former president of the International Tsunami Society and Tsunami Consultant to the Govt. of India says that chain of coral islets saved coastal Kerala that day. It qualifies for protection under the Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites Act 1958. Rama Setu by any other name like Adam's Bridge is an ancient monument associated with ancient names Rama and Adam. It is not important to discuss whether Ram or Adam existed or not; what is important is the people's perception and what they hold dear and sacred in their heart. A cow is sacred to a devout vegetarian Hindu; a cow is food for the carnivorous others all over the world. It is the perception.
The Supreme Court observed that feelings, emotions and beliefs of a class of people, rational or otherwise, though unsubscribed by others should be respected. We always run the risk of destroying the sanctity of Ram Sethu and finding later by scientific means that it was indeed a man-made structure as it was the case with submerged Dwaraka by under-water exploration and the Pentimento of Sarasvathi River by satellite images.
Stonehenge is not just a pile of ugly-looking rough-hewed stones.
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous Prehistoric sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. Archeologists believe that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC, however this was not the first stone structure on the site (see phase 3:1 below). The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury henge monument, and it is also a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge itself is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust. -Wikipedia.
Take for instance the ancient bricks of Harappa....
In 1856 before the discovery of Indus Civilization, two morons, John and William Brunton were building the East Indian Railway from Karachi to Lahore. They used the bricks from the Indus civilization as ballast. Brahminibad ancient bricks went into use for the railway; part of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro escaped the Brunton brothers' mindless quarrying of the ancient bricks, 3x10x20 inches. The excavation did not begin until 1920. It is possible that these two archeologically-challenged nincompoops did not get the contract to lay the gravel road near Stonehenge on Salisbury plain England, but ended up in India to do their carefully crafted bang-up botch with bootleg ancient bricks for the Indian railways. If those nincompoops quarried the Stonehenge, we would not have it today. Heritage centers belong to the world. Hey, Stonehenge is a bunch of rocks of no architectural beauty in their crude exterior and yet they are ancient and were put there for a purpose. It belongs to the English, the British and the world. Those rocks are the connection between the ancient people and the present. Thus I believe Rama Setu should be preserved for posterity. Though you may not believe in Rama, Sita, Hanuman, Ravana and the simian army, it prevented tsunami from hitting the Keralites. That much we are sure. That is good enough reason for me to preserve and protect it.
Let me give you an idea of the kind of cities they had in Harappa. The walls encircling the city was 40 feet wide at the base and 35 feet high. Mud was used to hold the bricks on the walls, and gypsum and lime mortar for the drains. The sewer system featured terra cotta pipes with manholes like what you see in the modern cities now. They built multistoried house with flat tops. Like the modern day laundry chutes they had garbage chutes in the houses along with toilets and bathrooms. They had 23x39x8 feet tank with 8 feet thick walls for public bathing. Copper, bronze, lead, silver, ivory and gold were in use. They were trading with Mesopotamia and were called Meluhha. They cultivated barley, wheat, peas, sesamum, cotton.... Cotton would not appear in the west in the next 2000 years.
Wikipedia: Harappa is a City in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about 35km (22 miles) southwest of Sahiwal.
The modern town is located near the former course of the Ravi River and also beside the ruins of an ancient fortified city, which was part of the Cemetery H culture and the Indus Valley Civilization.
The ancient city existed from about 3300 BCE until 1600 BCE and is believed to have had as many as 40,000 residents—considered large for its time. Although the Harappa Culture extended well beyond the bounds of present day Pakistan, its centres were in Sindh and the Punjab.
In 2005 a controversial amusement park scheme at the site was abandoned when builders unearthed many archaeological artifacts during the early stages of construction work. A plea from the prominent Pakistani archaeologist Ahmed Hasan Dani to the Ministry of Culture resulted in a restoration of the site. --Wikipedia
You go to any corner of India. The people relate everyday matters to Ramayana and Mahabharata as cross-reference as follows: There go Rama and Lakshmana, always together. You see that old ugly hag and hunchback Manthara, the palace Koony Here comes Kaikeyi. Ramayana is deeply ingrained and imprinted on the psyche of Indians of all religions.
Rama Setu (page 59) says," Hurting the sentiments of the people who revere Sri Rama as a divinity and personification of Dharma, will be a serious breach of trust and will evince utter disdain for people's sentiments."
The exhibit in Arsha Bodha Center Saturday July 26, 2008 showed the Sacred Floating Rama Setu Rock that went into the construction of the bridge by Rama. It is a lightweight, strong rock easily transported to the construction sites.
"Dredging and opening of the Setu may cause the sediments and turbulent tide to enter the tranquil Gulf of Mannar and choke and destroy the delicate coral islands."
Dr. Abdul Kalam states the following: During the ice age (18,000 year BP = Before Present) the entire area from India to Sri Lanka and further south and southeast were contiguous...Corals have continuous vertical growth... I note Adam's bridge area, the Coral formations hardly occur 1 to 2.5 m in length and resting on loose sand. Most of the Coral Rock pieces seem to rounded pebbles of corals. These things appear to point these coral rock pieces and pebbles have been transported and placed in these areas.
National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) claims, that archeological studies show that the Sethu may be man made."
"Rama Setu has been constructed at least 9000 years ago." --Dr. Badrinarayana of GSI.
CHAPTER 7 Conclusion page 148 Permission to reproduce was obtained from Dr. Swamy.
My study of the economics of the SSCP rejects the choice of
Alignment No.6 as a financial white elephant, and perhaps a milch cow for some
corrupt politicians and bureaucrats and instead suggests consideration for fresh
evaluation of the whole concept of a ship channel as a method of development of
the Tuticorin Port and the Tamil Nadu coastal areas. There are alternative
projects such a rail lines connected to container ports to be considered.
If SSCP is to be implemented, then Alignment No.1, through Mandappam, is preferable from all angles - economics, environment, and national security - to the current choice of Alignment No.6 (Figure No.5). This Alignment No. 1 was in fact originally suggested after Independence by Ramaswami Mudaliar Committee but the Government then did not regard it as economically viable. If this alignment also cannot be accepted for any reason even today, then it is better in the national interest to scrap the SSCP altogether, and recover the sunk costs by attaching the immovable property and assets of those in authority who had pushed it through hastily and in reckless disregard of the historicity of the Rama Setu, the economic unviability, the environment disaster, and the national security risks of the Project, had designed the SSCP based on Alignment No.6 as the channel route, a choice that betrays besides our ancient civilization and Sanatan Dharma, and thus willfully commits sacrilege by providing for the destruction of the holy Rama Setu.
Hence, it is essential now to set up an independent multidisciplinary investigative committee of experts to rectify this serious
CONCLUSION Page 149
lapse on part of NEERI by re-examining all six Alignments ab initio in light of new data and issues, and recommend a final considered choice, if any,or any alternative projects to meet the multi-dimensional concerns of the nation as well as frame an effective security policy for safeguarding the environment.
In framing effective security policies for the SSCP the complexities of international shipping need also to be understood. A ship is built in one country, has a flag of convenience of a second country, is owned by a national of a third country and the vessel itself is manned by a crew of mixed nationalities with differing security clearance standards, is controlled through the Flag State in all its internal matters, but is subject to local Port State jurisdiction! The global terrorist is aware, that, apart from a few international agreements with respect to slavery, piracy and illicit carriage of narcotics, there is no comprehensive Maritime Law to combat Maritime Terrorism. The terrorist can and does take advantage of this legal vacuum. There are diverse, complex and often conflicting domestic laws enacted by different coastal States.
If the foregoing was bad enough, consider the Indian scene. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard come under the Ministry of Defence. Fisheries come under the Ministry of Agriculture. DG Shipping/ DG lighthouses come under the Ministry of Shipping. The customs come under the Revenue Wing of the Ministry of Finance. ON GC comes under the Ministry of Petroleum. Also, the nodal agency for dealing with any marine oil spill is the Coast Guard. However, the nodal Ministry for oil spills is the Home Ministry. There can be no co-ordination in such a situation of crossed-wires.
Hence, we need to take a leaf out of the U.S. Homeland security Blue Book. The U.S. Coast Guard is the Single Nodal Agency for maritime aspects of their Homeland Security. In special cases, the U.S. Navy can also discharge the responsibilities of even the Coast Guard. U.S. laws provide for such an eventuality.
Hence, we too need to enact new "Maritime Security" laws with a single nodal agency to counter the threats of piracy or armed
Page 150 RAMA SETU
robbery at sea as also Maritime Terrorism. National security is too serious not to override the States rights, federalism and parochial politics.
The recent Government -appointed so-called Committee of Eminent Persons for the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project has forfeited public confidence because of bias and sycophancy.
The Chairman of this Government -appointed Committee, Dr. S. Ramachandran is shown, in the photo below garlanding and placing a silk angavastram on Mr. M. Karunanidhi Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, when the latter sat on a 'fasting' protest against the Supreme Court Order declaring the Bandh call given by the CM as illegal and violative of the citizens' Fundamental Rights. The Bandh had been called originally to protest against the Supreme Court Order of August 31, 2007 on my Petition, granting injunction against the Project damaging the Rama Setu in any way. What objectivity can this Chairman exercise when he, and that too on such an occasion, exhibits such unabashed and disgusting sycophancy to a Chief Minister committed to destroying the Rama Setu?
¦¸ð¼ ºÌÉõ = «ÀºÌÉõ = Bad Omen, if you believe in it. You go to break it; it will break you.
A mysterious series of accidents have stalled the work. First, the dredging vessel Duck6sank. It was replaced by the Dredging Corporation of India’s biggest dredging vessel, but its spud broke. Another ship was then sent to retrieve the spud, but its crane snapped and crashed into the sea --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sethusamudram_Shipping_Canal_Project.
I understand a VIP engaged in the planning and or dredging kicked the bucket. All are sorry about his premature departure. If the authorities don't have to believe that it is sacred, think of its Jinx Value which should stop any man or machine. Some say that gods are angry and cause calamity to men and machines. Think of the Jinxes and curses associated with King Tut's Tomb.
SETHUSAMUDRAM CONCERNS : Hindu.com
http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/20/stories/2004092001701000.htm