Tucked near the southern tip of Indian peninsula, lies a town of fishermen. A cyclone in 1964 compelled the habitants to abandon the town, and it now stands like a ghost, a thin mirage of what it was.
But as you near the mirage, you realise that its beauty has also been enhanced by the years. The Dhanushkodi town and the beach, once abandoned, now welcome any wandering traveller who is looking for some peace, away from the bustling crowds.
Less frequented by the common tourists, and difficult to access, it has maintained its raw charm. The white sand beaches provide a solitude and anonymity, that are the envy of many with a true wanderlust.
As you arrive at the beach, long and shifting dunes of white and grey sand meet the eye, till you scan the horizon and see a white sliver of water, that is the sea. And the water presents magical colours as the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal merge here.
Legend has it that Lord Ram crossed over to Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from Ravan’s clutches from here. This is where he built the Ram Setuto cross over to Thalaimannar, a few kilometres across the Palk Straits. It is believed that one of floating rocks is still preserved in a temple in the town.
You can experience the divinity of the place, when you realise its proximity to Rameshwaram, where Ram prayed to Lord Shiva before embarking on his rescue mission to Lanka.
The town itself seems like a place stuck in time, with ruins and relics of not-so-long ago functioning post-office, water-tank, church and hospital.
One can reach Dhanushkodi only by taking a train across the famed Pamban Bridge, India’s first sea bridge, and the longest one at that, till the Worli Sea-Link was built.
To get to Dhanushkodi you will have to drive down from Rameswaram, from where a clutch of ‘tempos’, as the ancient Mahindra 4WDs are called, ferry you till land’s end, the south-east corner of Pamban island.
The best time to visit this enchanting destination is during the winter months, from October to February.
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