The power of faith

Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India released a perfectly normal statement.

The Archaeological Survey of India on Wednesday asserted in the Supreme Court that there was no evidence to prove that Ramar Sethu/Adam’s bridge was man-made. It is a natural formation made up of shoals/sand bars, which are possessed of their particular shape and form due to several millennia of wave action and sedimentation.

That’s a perfectly logical and valid statement based on current experimental observations and scientific reasoning. In fact, they even highlighted why they don’t think it’s man-made.

“The existence of human remains, whether in the form of bones etc. or in the form of other artefacts, is primary to prove archaeologically the existence and veracity of a historical fact. No such human remains have been discovered at the site of the formation known as Adam’s bridge.

And from another interview,

Explaining the bridge’s geological history, he said both the Palk Strait and the GoM were once part of the Cauvery basin, which was formed during the separation of India and Antarctica about 70 million years ago during the `Gondwana period.’ They were combined till a ridge was formed in the region owing to thinning of earth’s crust. The development of this ridge augmented the coral growth in the region. “The coral cover acted as a `sand trapper’ leading to the formation of Rameswaram Island,” Dr. Ramanujam said.

Then, the ASI added this

In its affidavit filed in the Sethusamudram case, the ASI said “the petitioners [Subramanian Swamy and others] while seeking relief [not to damage Ramar Sethu] have primarily relied upon the contents of the Valmiki Ramayana, the Ramcharitmanas by Tulasidas and other mythological texts, which admittedly form an important part of ancient Indian literature, but which cannot be said to be historical record to incontrovertibly prove the existence of the characters or the occurrence of the events, depicted therein.”

which was predictably followed by much outrage for daring to offend the sacred beliefs and accusations that the affidavit amounts to “pouring contempt on crores of Hindus”, and “hurting the religious sentiments of millions”.

The government has set in motion the process of questioning religious beliefs. We will launch a nationwide movement if it does not withdraw immediately this blasphemous submission questioning the very existence of Lord Ram

Ack, how dare the government apply science to “question” our sacred beliefs? How arrogant of the government to presume that observation, logic and reason can dare to question our most cherished and mightiest of faiths, which forms an integral part our glorious culture and heritage?

What else, but the blind power of faith, would make people disregard scientific evidence and continue believing in whatever silly personal fantasy which pleases them?

On a more important note, I’d like to use this situation to highlight something else. In cases such as this, when some scientists claim that the bridge is indeed man-made (although, not remotely related to the Ramayana), how does one know what the current scientific consensus is? Herein lies the importance of peer-reviewed work, which ensures that only unbiased, scientific facts are published.

References
No evidence to prove Ramar Sethu is man-made – The Hindu
BJP mulls movement on Lord Ram – Hindustan Times
It’s not a man-made structure