Sethu Samudram Project - An Alternative Plan: Ramar Island - The Love Story – About Singapore and Sethu Samudram Project…

Republic of Singapore

Singapore is lying 137 km north of the equator, south of Malaysia and north of Riau Islands of Indonesia. Singapore is a small state with 710, 2 sq km and is only bigger than Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.

Tamasek is the earliest known reference to present Singapore and was an early settlement of people who had trading relations with China. Then came it under the control of Sumatra based Srivijaya Empire. One of the Srivijaya leaders thought that he saw a lion during a thunderstorm and so the name “Singapura” or “the City of the Lion”. In the 16th century Singapore came to the Sultan of Johur and was under the control of it until the British came.

Sir Stamford Raffles from the East Indian Company landed in Singapore on 29th January 1819 and signed a treaty with the Sultan of Johur to develop the island as a port for trade. In 1867 it became officially a part of the British Empire. It was William Farquhar, the administrator of Singapore who made it a strategic business and commercial centre.

In 1963, Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation and two years later it was expelled when the Prime Minister Lee Yuan Kew refused to allow special economic privileges for the Malays. Lee declared Singapore as a sovereign state on 9th August 1965.

Today Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries in the world with a per capita income which is on par with or better than many Western countries. It has the 4th rank according to IMF in 2008 next to Qatar, Luxembourg and Norway per capita. It remains a prominent and rich economic and commercial centre of the world.


Sethu Samudram Project

Ramar Bridge or Ram Setu or Adam’s Bridge starts as a chain of shoals from the Dhanuskodi tip of Rameshwaram Island and ends at Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. Whoever may have the right, important is we should not disturb the ecology and the unique flora and fauna of this area. We have to dig a canal starting from well below Kilakarai to well above Devipattinam.

Setu Samudram shipping canal project has been approved by the Government of India. We change only the route and get the benefit for the emerging Super Power India.

A rich and welfare state in and around Rameswaram Island will be golden eggs laying duck for India in all the ways. It will be then accepted everybody and is good for India. It is good to be convinced with knowledge, but there is no evolution without further thinking and accepting the reality.

I would say both, the people for and against the Ramar Bridge are good and make a full stop to their controversies here. All Indians must take the responsibility to do something to make this dream true.

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Sethu Samudram Project - An Alternative Plan: Ramar Island. The Love Story – The Happy End…

Chapter 8

Raman got up very late next morning and went to the hall. Geetha was sitting there with her grandmother and said good morning to him.
“It is going to be 9 a.m. and what is your programme?” she asked.
“I make myself ready, we drink coffee and after that we go to Sri Meenakshiamman Temple, all of us including grandmother”, he answered. They were inside the temple for more than two hours and Geetha was absolutely happy.

When they reached home, the post man came with a telegram.
“Ms. A. Geetha”, asked the postman. She went and took the telegram and with shivering hands she opened it and saw only one word in it, CONGRATULATIONS. It was from her Papa and her parents blessed her and she felt the blissfulness in every part of her body.

“What is it”, asked the grandmother.
“It’s from papa” was her casual answer.

Geetha and Raman talked about their studies and their wishes and aims in their life and both were grateful to Singapore. It was 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. he has to leave to the railway station.

“Would you like to have your own Singapore?” he asked her.
“If you present me one during my life time, why not?” she replied. He opened his suit case and took the papers and gave to her.
“Here is your Singapore, read it carefully and till you finish reading it don’t ask any questions”, he said.
She remembered his writing on that morning in Chennai and started to read. In the first page she could read only “dedicated to Geetha” and she started reading. He has written some 20 pages and she took two hours to read, understand and enjoy this paper.

“Send this to our former President Dr. Kalam, he is from Ramanathapuram, his house is in Rameswaram and surely he will help”, she said in a soft tone.
“Not only our former President Dr. Kalam, but all the Indians living in this earth should be for this”, was his reply.

“The canal should be named after Mahatma Gandhi,” the voice of Geetha and Raman came at the same time. Their endless joy is to be seen clearly from their young, beautiful faces.

Geetha got up slowly, went to Raman, hugged him and whispered him, “I love you”. Raman felt the warmth of her breath and body and replied “I too love you and Ramar Island is my present to you. It will be a symbol of our love forever”.

Sethu Samudram Project - An Alternative Plan: Ramar Island. The Love Story – love, love, love…

Chapter 5

In his room Raman thought about the day. This was the day when he suffered the most and also the happiest day for him. His lips muttered Geetha, Geetha and his whole face were covered with a smile; her face was in front of his eyes and he could remember everything clearly. He knew several girl students from his college. They have studied together, went to beach or to restaurant together, but he never had such an urge to see somebody like her once again. He slept very soundly on that night without any dream.

Geetha thought of her day. It was a gift from Sri Mariamman for her, she thought and at the same time she was also afraid of the future. What would his family tell or have they already arranged some girl for him? What her parents would tell when they come to know about her thoughts? It was her turn now and the whole night she was not sleeping. The coming days would be mine and hope I could have luck was her continuous thoughts during the whole night. The sun rose with its mighty rays and she was still awake.

Raman picked her up punctually at 9 a.m. with a BMW car which he rented through his hotel. She saw the car with big eyes and asked, “Are you very rich?”
He replied with a smile, “One needs only a credit card to get such a car”. Like all handsome young men he also liked BMW, so to say he loved it.
In the car she told her plan what all to see during the three days. “At first we go to Sri Veeramakaliamman” she said with a smile.
“Want to search the parrot fortune teller?” he asked.
“No”, was her reply, “I want to go to the temple and afterwards we wander a bit in Little India. After that we drive to China Town, of course, to Sri Mariamman Temple. It is our temple and will also be always our temple”.
He saw her dreaming eyes and wondered what was going on in her intelligent head.

They entered inside the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple; it is at 141 Serangoon Road and is one of the oldest temples in Singapore. It was built by the pioneers who came to work and live here and was the first in Serangoon area. It became a focus point for Indian social and cultural activities. The first name of the temple is Soonnanbu Kambam Koil which meant the temple at lime villages. All the deities were from India and Geetha was explaining him everything without a break and he wondered how many times she had been here in these two weeks. They felt that they were in India and this made them happy and very fresh. She wanted to eat some South Indian sweets and talked about the life in Singapore. After that they rushed to China town and there she wanted to see the Sri Mariamman Temple. If I could marry him I would come here first with him she thought and her face become red and he was noticing the changes in her face carefully, but without any comment. In this place I met her and here we must come often he thought. Here also she explained him everything as if she had known everything from her childhood. Women were near to God than men he thought or it could be their place to escape from men or family or the society was his second thought.

Geetha and Raman drove through China town and enjoyed this busy and unique place. They had decided to eat something here and plan for the next two days. They enjoyed the meals or so to say enjoyed their conversation. She wanted to know everything about him and he answered all her questions patiently. He enjoyed because her questions were sometimes very intelligent and sometimes very childish. He thought intelligence and Indian culture were nesting together in her.

As he wanted to go further she looked at him with her shining and happy eyes, “Why can’t we sit here and talk further?”
He smiled at her and said, “But you can’t show me the whole Singapore now and what should I say if they ask me in India what I have been doing all the time in Singapore”.
“My parents are here and we could come at any time”, was her naughty reply.

“What do you want to see?” she asked.
“Make some suggestions, you know better than me”, he replied.
“No problem”, she said and without a break she told him about the tourist attractions in Singapore. They include the Army Museum of Singapore, Captain Explorer DUKw Tour, City & Cultural FunVeeTour, Cheng Ho Cruise, Escape Theme Park, Fort Siloso, Hibiscus @ Singapore Turf Club, Images of Singapore, Labrador Secret Tunnel, Malay Village, MINT Museum of Toys, National Orchid Garden, Red dot design museum, Sentosa 4D Magix, Singapore Discovery Centre, Singapore Philatelic Museum, Songs of the Sea, The Merlion, TigerLIVE, Wild Wild Wet, Butterfly Park & Insect Kingdom, Journeys - The Original Singapore Walks Jurong Bird Park, LiliPutt Indoor Mini Golf, School of Hard Knocks @Royal Selangor, Night Safari, Singapore Flyer, Singapore River Cruises, Singapore Zoo, Snow City, The Changi Museum, Audio Guided Tour, Tiger Sky Tower, Underwater World Singapore, Clarke Quay, Marina Barrage, NEWater Visitor Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens and The Changi Museum.

“What do you want to see in two days?” she asked him, “we drive with the car everywhere, but sit somewhere and talk a lot”. Her delighted eyes were telling a lot, but what could be that was like a riddle for him. He knew her not even 24 hours and she started dictating now everything, he thought.
“Look”, he said to her, “plan whatever you like and I present you my two days to you”.
“That is very generous of you, but it is also dangerous because your acceptance is unconditional”, she told and her eyes were very serious.
“I’m aware of this danger”, he answered with a smile and they drove to her house back. She was happy as she felt that he liked her.

“Come to my room, we can talk about everything” she said, “don’t forget you must listen to me”. He followed her without answering her and now in her room he saw her like a child with shining and happy eyes. It was a perfect room and everything was there what a young woman could dream.
“I thought in few days you are going to leave, but it seems you have made permanent quarters here” he smiled.
“It is my father’s wish and as I told you I can come here at any time”, she replied. “Now it is going to be serious”, she told, and “what do you think about marriage and family?”
“You could ask me this question after 5 years”, he laughed, and “and then I will give you the correct answer”.
“You spoil the whole fun and discussion brings more new ideas”, she said, “Come on, let us talk”.
“Okay, I will marry and have a family when I have finished my doctorate and there will be no change in it”, he said.
“If you fall in love with a girl then what will you do?” she smiled.
“I request her to wait till I finish my studies; she can agree for that or go away. If she accepts I have no problem to wait for her even if it is few years” was his reply. She thought of many young men who wanted to talk to her the same subject, sex, after five minutes. He was different and it attracted her towards him and she did not have the power to stop her thoughts about him and she became silent. He was observing her and after 15 min told her to go to the hall where her parents are waiting for them and walked slowly. Mr. Arunachlam asked both several questions and their answer was always very short. He gave a cover in his daughter’s hand and she opened it casually and she shouted. “Papa, I thank you very much”, and gave him a kiss in his cheek.
“Mamma, we eat now, after that Raman could drive to his hotel to take some rest and tomorrow will be a very tough day”, she said in a delighted voice. Before he left to his hotel Mr. Arunachalam gave him a cover and asked him to open next day morning. He thanked him and drove to his hotel and thought that he was no more the same Raman as before.

The next two days they were looking almost everything in Singapore without concentrating the details because both were occupied with their thoughts and feelings.
“What was in your cover?” she asked.
“My cover has two tickets for a dinner in a cable car”, he smiled and asked about her cover. “You are lucky”, she murmured, but did not answer his question. It was my secret, she thought.

Raman told her about the cable dining. This two hour romantic dinner takes place in the cabin about 110 m above the sea.
“The cabins are made for four and some old couple come there to share their time with us”, she said. He thought that everything was like a dream. In this Saturday, he would dine with Geetha, bring her back home and say good bye to her and that was it, he thought. He wanted to tell many things, but somehow he did not find the right words. The romantic dinner was magnificent and they enjoyed their stay in the cable car and the wonderful scenery below and around them made them feel they were in a different planet. They were talking about everything and he noticed that her eyes were very loving when she looked at him. Before they left she asked the waiter about the empty seats, he checked in his cards and told that Family Arunachalam did not turn up. She thanked her father in her mind for this wonderful evening.

Raman dropped Geetha at her home and had tea with Mr. Arunachalam. He thanked him for the dinner in the cable car and Mr. Arunachalam smiled, but from his face he could not read anything. At 10 p.m. he said good bye to all and in his room he felt that he was missing something.
“Am I missing Geetha?” he thought, “yes”, was the answer from his inner voice. He had mixed feelings and the past days were not at all giving him a clear picture about everything what had happened. He had his shower and slept soundly.

Sethu Samudram Project - An Alternative Plan: Ramar Island - The Love Story…

Chapter 1

Raman read the letter from his uncle for the umpteenth time. It was from his uncle who lives in Hamburg, Germany. Raman has just finished his B.E. His uncle has presented him a week’s holiday in Singapore for his good B.E. results.

“Go to Singapore for a week and see the difference between India and Singapore and dream to make something good for India”, was the main message in his uncle’s letter.

Raman tried to remember his days in Germany with his parents when they visited his uncle. He was at that time 7 or 8 years old. For a boy at that age everything was wonderful and unforgettable; from the flight to everything else that he saw and understood. Hamburg, where his uncle lives, is the greenest city in Europe, has more bridges than Paris and more canals than Amsterdam. It is the cleanliness everywhere and the German technique that went deep and stayed in his mind. It is green everywhere in spring with lot of different colourful flowers. The cleanliness everywhere and the precision in the technique were surprising to his young mind.

Three things he could still remember very well:

The old Elbe Tunnel where the car was taken down and then up with a lift to drive below the river Elbe. He even saw pedestrians walking through that tunnel under the river.

Next was the modern Elbtunnel below the River Elbe where every tube has two lanes for the cars. It is also a part of the highways. As he came out of the Tunnel he could see the Hamburg-Harbour with its big ships. Hamburg is a river harbour, 7th biggest in the world and to reach the North Sea the ships have to travel in the river Elbe 120 km.

Finally the most interesting thing he saw was in Heidelberg, the University City in South Germany. During the boat tour in the river Neckar he found that the ship was carried up more than 10 metres upwards and then brought down to travel downwards. This was done in an interesting way. The ship entered inside the tank and then the door was tightly closed. Now lot of water was pumped inside the tank and the ship went up automatically with the water level. When the required level is reached, the door of the tank was opened and the ship travelled further upwards. It happened several times in the river of Neckar. It was also interesting if the ship has to come down. The tank was closed when the ship was inside and the water was let out and the ship went down automatically till it reached the lower level of the river. When the door was opened the ship could travel downstream without any problem. These are the master works of German engineering. As a boy he never forgot these experiences and as a young man he saw the world with full of opportunities. He also realised that he was in the right place - the emerging India.

Raman decided to accept the tour to Singapore; he had his passport already and the rest was only a routine with the travel agent. He has prepared well for the places he wanted to see in Singapore and slowly his mind also accepted this fun for few days before he has to start his work.