The Bridge Too Far

The Lord surveyed the Ram Setu and said "Hanuman, how
diligently and strenuously you and your vanara sena
had built this bridge several centuries back. It is
remarkable that it has withstood the ravages of the
climatic and geographical changes over centuries. It
is indeed an amazing feat especially considering the
fact that a bridge at Hyderabad built by Gammon using
latest technology collapsed the other day even before
they could stick the posters on its pillars."

Hanuman with all humility spoke "Jai Sri Ram, it is
all because of your grace. We just scribbled your name
on the bricks and threw them in the sea and they held.
No steel from TISCO or cement from Ambuja or ACC was
ever used. But Lord, why rake up the old issue now."

Ram spoke "Well, Hanuman some people down there want
to demolish the bridge and construct a canal. The
contract involves lot of money and lot of money
will be made. They will make money on demolition and
make more money on construction. "

Hanuman humbly bowed down and said "Why not we go down
and present our case"

Ram said "Times have changed since we were down there.
They will ask us to submit age proof and we don't have
either a birth certificate or school leaving
certificate. We traveled mainly on foot and some times
in bullock carts and so we don't have a driving
license either. As far as the address proof is
concerned the fact that I was born at Ayodhya is
itself under litigation for over half a century, If I
go in a traditional attire with bow and arrow, the
ordinary folks may recognize me but Arjun Singh may
take me to be some tribal and, at the most, offer a
seat at IIT under the reserved category. Also, a God
cannot walk in dressed in a three-piece suit and
announce his arrival. It would make even the devotees
suspicious. So it is dilemma so to say."

"I can vouch for you by saying that I personally built
the bridge."

"My dear, Anjani putra, it will not work. They will
ask you to produce the lay-out plan, the project
details, including financial outlay and how the
project cost was met and the completion certificate.
Nothing is accepted without documentary evidence in
India. You may cough but unless a doctor certifies it,
you have no cough. A pensioner may present himself
personally but the authorities do not take it as
proof. He has to produce a life-certificate to prove
that he is alive. It is that complicated."

"Lord can't understand these historians. Over the
years you have given darshan once every hundred years
to saints like Surdas, Tulsidas, Saint Thyagaraja,
Jayadeva, Bhadrachala Ramdas and even Sant Tukaram and
still they disbelieve your existence and say Ramayana
is a myth. The only option, I see, is to re-enact
Ramayana on earth and set the government records
straight once for all."

Lord smiled "It isn't that easy today. Ravan is
apprehensive that he may look like a saint in front of
Karunanidhi. I also spoke to his mama Mareecha, who
appeared as a golden deer to tempt Sita maiyya when I
was in the forest and he said that he won't take a
chance of stepping on earth as long as Salman Khan is
around."