The Gulf of Mannar is an expansive shallow bay, part of the bigger Laccadive Sea within the Indian Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the western shore of Sri Lanka within the Coromandel Coast area.
It includes round 21 islands and an array of marine wildlife. The Gulf of Mannar has a mean water depth of 5.8 metres, but it is named one of many richest areas of biodiversity on the earth.
The Government of India has taken many steps to protect this area, which has been recognised as a biosphere reserve and which helps the livelihood of many fishing and different communities residing alongside its coasts.
Let’s discover 10 fascinating information concerning the Gulf of Mannar on this article.
1. Began taking form within the late Cretaceous Period- 100 to 66 million years in the past
The Gulf of Mannar was shaped by complicated geological and oceanographic processes over thousands and thousands of years. The main course of resulting in its formation was tectonic exercise.
The Indian subcontinent and the Island of Sri Lanka are a part of the Indian Plate that has been steadily drifting northwards in the direction of the Eurasian Plate. When these plates collided, the Western Ghats mountain vary was shaped alongside India’s western coast, and the land was uplifted.
Rivers eroded the terrain and deposited sediment close to the coast, creating coastal plains, which then shaped barrier islands and sandbars.
These geographical options functioned as pure limitations, separating the open waters from the shallow and enclosed waters of the rising Gulf of Mannar.
Monsoon winds and ocean currents transported sediments alongside the coast and led to the formation of islands inside the gulf.
2. An essential maritime commerce route since historical instances
The Gulf of Mannar has been a serious route for maritime commerce and cross-cultural trade since time immemorial. It finds point out in historic texts and manuscript data from totally different intervals belonging to Ancient India, Ancient Greece, and likewise data of Arabs and European Accounts too.
For occasion, historical Indian texts like Ramayana and Mahabharata courting again to 2500-1500 BCE confer with the Gulf of Mannar and its significance in maritime commerce.
Additionally, Greek and Roman geographers and merchants like Ptolemy and Pliny the Elder wrote concerning the Gulf and its significance as a maritime hub.
3. Gulf of Mannar Became A Protected National Park in 1986
The Government of India recognised the necessity to preserve the ecology of the attractive Gulf of Mannar and determined to protect it by declaring it a Protected National Park in 1986, known as the Gulf of Mannar National Park.
Hence, in 1986, a bunch of 21 islets located off the coast of Tamil Nadu was declared the Gulf of Mannar National Park.
In 1989, three years later, the Indian Government declared the Park and its ten km buffer zone as a Biosphere Reserve, which turned the primary Biosphere Reserve in India.
This step was crucial because the Gulf of Mannar was being exploited by immoral fishing practices introducing dangerous invasive species that have been wreaking havoc on the endemic ones, accompanied by overfishing.
Also, the coral reefs suffered essentially the most and have been revamped within the final 2 many years as a result of authorities initiatives, together with constructing synthetic reefs and efforts to take away the parasitic overseas marine life.
4. Surrounded By Rameswaram Island, Adam’s Bridge And Mannar Island
Pamban Island, or Rameswaram Island, lies between India and Sri Lanka on the Ram Setu archipelago. It is the largest island within the Indian State of Tamil Nadu when it comes to space and is without doubt one of the most sacred spiritual websites for Hindus. The Ramanthawamy Temple is kind of well-known and lies on the centre of the island.
The Adam’s Bridge, also called Rama’s Bridge or Rama Setu, is a sequence of low islands and reefs fabricated from pure limestone. This construction separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palka Bay, which is located to the north between India and Sri Lanka.
Geological proof means that the Adam’s Bridge as soon as shaped a land connection between India and Sri Lanka.
Mannar Island is located off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka and is related to the principle island by a causeway and Mannar Bridge. It stretches 130 sq. kilometres and is roofed with sand and vegetation.
5. Several rivers movement into the Gulf of Mannar
The Gulf of Mannar is 80 to 170 miles or 130 to 275 km huge and 100 miles or 160 km lengthy.
It is fed by many rivers, just like the estuaries of Thamirabarani and Vaippar Rivers from South India and the Malvathu River of Sri Lanka.
The Thamirabarani or Tamraparni is a perennial river originating from Agastyarkoodam peak, Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats. It flows via Tamil Nadu and drains into the Gulf of Mannar.
It was often known as the Tamraparni River within the pre-classical age, whereas it was known as Porunai in outdated Tamil. From its supply, until it meets the ocean, it’s 128 km lengthy and is the one perennial river within the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. It flows to the north initially after which in the direction of the jap aspect.
Vaippar River originates from Varusanadu Hills surrounding the state of Kerela. It flows from Sivagiri via Virughnagar and Tuticorin and flows into the Gulf of Mannar close to Sippikulam.
It is 130 km or 81 miles lengthy and has a drainage basin spanning 5288 sq km or 2042 sq miles.
6. Gulf of Mannar is a biodiversity hotspot
The Gulf of Mannar harbours greater than 3600 species of plant and animal life and is without doubt one of the most ecologically various coastal areas in Asia. It can be dwelling to 117 exhausting coral species, sea turtles, sharks, dugongs and dolphins.
Near the area lie 47 villages with 50,000 folks, which depend upon the sources of the gulf for his or her livelihood. Given this reality, the overharvesting of marine species is a matter.
Over the years, fish populations within the gulf waters have declined, together with a discount within the numbers of pearl oysters, gorgonian coral, and acorn worms.
Other threats embody damaging fishing strategies, air pollution, coral mining and so on. This has taken some species that when thrived within the gulf to the class of endangered species. Dugongs, dolphins, whales, sea horses, and sea cucumbers are a few of them.
The swamp near Kodandaraman Temple gives shelter to a flock of 10,000 flamingoes annually from December to March, together with many different species of waders and wetland birds.
7. Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Spans 10,500 km2 of ocean and 21 islands
The Biosphere Reserve consists of 10,500 sq km of ocean, 21 islands and the adjoining shoreline.
The topography varies, and there are seashores, tropical dry broadleaf forests, and estuaries. Marine Environments embody seaweed communities, seagrass, salt marshes, mangroves and coral reefs.
In 2019, The National Centre for Coastal Research, which has a analysis station within the Gulf of Mannar, found a sample of bleaching within the coral reefs in Mandapam, Palk Bay and Kilakarai. They discovered bleaching occurred when the temperature rose between 32 °C and 36 °C.
8. Gulf of Mannar is thought for its pearl banks for hundreds of years
The Gulf of Mannar has been well-known for its pearl banks of the Pinctada Radiata and Pictada Fucata since historical instances. Interestingly, Pliny the Elder wrote concerning the pearl fishery within the gulf as being one of the vital productive in the entire world throughout his time.
There are about 80 pearl banks on this area which turned a wealthy income for kingdoms like Cholas and Pandyas.
However, Pearl fishing was steadily discontinued in 1961 because the sources waned as a result of overexploitation.
The Pearl Banks stretch from Mannar Island, off the northwestern finish of Sri Lanka, south to Chilaw. Their depths vary from 5 to fifteen fathoms.
9. Main seaports on the Gulf of Mannar are Tuticorin and Colombo
Tuticorin Port is located on the southeastern coast of India in Tamil Nadu on the western aspect of the Gulf of Mannar. It is a man-made port facility, stated to be the third largest container terminal within the nation.
The port includes two operational areas, particularly Zone 1 and Zone 2. The former comprises new port amenities, whereas the latter is a small anchorage port.
It has 2 breakwaters that create a man-made harbour.
It handles exports of salt, ilmenite sand, tea, cotton piece items, sugar, molasses, espresso, stones, cotton yarn and so on. Imports embody coal, fertilisers, sugar, grains, peas, pulp wooden, naphtha, uncooked cashew, LPG, furnace oil, iron scrap, and so on.
Approximately 25, 730,000 tonnes of cargo and 467,700 TEU is dealt with yearly on the port.
The Port of Colombo lies on the western coast of Sri Lanka and is the principal port of the nation. It covers 201.5 ha and is enclosed by breakwaters with two entrances.
It is a serious container transhipment facility which is presently present process intensive container berth growth. The port has 4 container terminals and a traditional berth.
Colombo Port handles 30,900,000 tonnes of cargo, 4,100,000 TEU and 4,200 vessels yearly.
10. Gulf of Mannar area is a well-known vacationer vacation spot
The Gulf is fashionable for snorkelling, and folks go to the area because it is without doubt one of the most various marine areas with breathtaking views.
On land, there are numerous locations one can go to, such because the Ramanhaswamy Temple, a shrine devoted to the God Shiva, located on the Ramanathaswamy island within the Gulf of Mannar.
It can be a historic place because it was constructed 1000 years in the past and has a 1000 pillared corridor, making it certainly one of India’s most sacred and historic Hindu worship websites.
For a extra relaxed getaway, one can go to the Danushkodi seashore, lie amidst its white sand shores, and swim in its crystal clear waters. One can stroll via the dunes of Adam’s Bridge, discover the area, meet native communities, and revel in recent and scrumptious seafood.
11. Experiences a tropical local weather
One of the explanation why the Gulf of Mannar is fashionable amongst vacationers is due to its beautiful blue waters, a beneficial tropical local weather excellent for sunbathing and stress-free, mild winds and clear skies.
This pure paradise is neither too scorching nor too chilly, with common temperatures between 24-32 levels Celsius.
However, it does expertise heavy rainfall throughout monsoon months which lasts from June to September, as it’s affected by each southwest and northeast monsoons.
12. Threatened by human actions like habitat destruction
The Gulf of Mannar suffers from threats to its ecology, together with habitat destruction, over-harvesting of marine sources, marine air pollution, and localised land-based air pollution.
Among these, habitat destruction of corals, seagrass and mangroves is essentially the most critical risk to the Gulf of Mannar. Coral mining was stopped in 2005. However, seagrass beds have been broken as a result of inappropriate backside trawling practices.
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Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed on this article don’t essentially replicate the views of Marine-Salvage. Data and charts, if used within the article, have been sourced from out there data and haven’t been authenticated by any statutory authority. The writer and Marine-Salvage don’t declare it to be correct nor settle for any accountability for a similar. The views represent solely the opinions and don’t represent any pointers or suggestions on any plan of action to be adopted by the reader.
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About Author
Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid author, possessing immaculate analysis and modifying abilities. Author of a number of educational papers, she has additionally labored as a contract author, producing many technical, inventive and advertising and marketing items. A real aesthete at coronary heart, she loves books somewhat greater than anything.
