Ram Setu

Lord Rama needed to cross the ocean to reach Lanka and rescue Mother Sita. But a vast sea stood in the way. Rama prayed to the Ocean God for three days to make a path, but received no answer. When Rama raised his mighty arrow in frustration, the Ocean God appeared and suggested that two monkeys named Nala and Neel could build a bridge. Nala and Neel had a special blessing — anything they placed in water after writing Rama's name on it would float. The entire monkey army began working together. Even tiny squirrels came to help. They rolled in the sand and shook it off onto the bridge. Rama was so pleased with the squirrels that he gently stroked one's back with his fingers — and that is why squirrels have three stripes on their backs to this day. In five days, a magnificent bridge was completed. The entire army marched across it to Lanka. This bridge came to be known as Ram Setu. It is said that remnants of this ancient bridge can still be seen in the ocean between India and Sri Lanka even today.