After an awesome time in kanyakumari, I was on a train to spend the night to arrive in Rameswaram the next day to explore the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
I was always fascinated by the photos and history of Pamban bridge of rameswaram which was India's first sea bridge to connect the town of Mandapam with Pamban Island, and Rameswaram. It is an engineering marvel with 143 piers, spanning 2 km between the mainland and the island, it is the second longest sea bridge in India after the 2.3-km Bandra-Worli sea link on Mumbai's western coast. German engineer Scherzer designed the central part of the bridge that opens up to allow ferry movement. On an average, 10 to 15 boats and small ships pass beneath the bridge every month. In 1964, the bridge survived a major cyclone that flattened Dhanushkodi, a thriving port town.
After waiting for some time and being impatient for the train was going slow and stopping by often, I reached rameswaram railway station around 6 am and got down with a sense of excitement and adventure. I walked out of the station and onto the streets of just about waking up town of rameswaram. I had a tea and went all the way to Ramanathaswamy Temple which is a Hindu pilgrimage site with ornate corridors, huge sculpted pillars and sacred water tanks. Devotees bathe in the waters of Agni Theertham, off the beach east of the temple. The adjacent roads were rather empty with closed doors and barricades and following the path to other side you will arrive to a view of road filled with people everywhere busy going to the temple and coming out. Old houses around are turned into locker rooms and changing rooms with bathroom facilities. I got ready and went to visit the temple. I came out and went to the beach nearby without much expectations and that turned out to be true. People everywhere taking dips around, the clothes scattered and flower petals flowing on the water. The sight of it all reminded me of every other beach or water source near to hindu temple. I watched the scene for sometime and couldn't find it worth to stay there any longer.
I walked back towards the temple area, packed my bags and went to the main road asking for a bus to dhanushkodi. After consulting with few police officials near the temple premises I came to halt nearby where I could get a bus. After some waiting, the bus arrived and I took my seat at the last window behind the door which could offer me the best possible view from the bus. Looking around I could see the kids going to their schools, others busy with their respective jobs for the day and I was there in the middle of nowhere just observing people around without much thought about how I was going to spend my day. I was in the moment living in the present with no thoughts crossing my mind. I felt calm, peaceful and just being out there feeling grateful for the time I was having as an outsider just passing through locals lifestyle.
I enjoyed the smooth ride on the newly laid roads with not much traffic and lush greenery all around listening to the music of prateek kuhad and other indie bands. As the bus progressed towards it's destination, the crowd got lessened and diminished on their own ways. The green surroundings with few people at the start of the ride turned into whiteness filled with sand and ocean on both sides of the road. At last the bus came to standing still and looking out the road was cut down by the ocean ahead and that was the end to the road travelled by. There was an indian emblem with four lions and steps to get down and what followed was beach and waves to the infinity. The crowd was rather little with few families near the beach and none alone on their own. I was mesmerised by the brightness of the land and beauty of the colourful ocean.
I spent some time going into the waters and the waves seemed a bit different here. Upon examining for sometime I could see the waves were coming from two different sides and meeting each other in the middle. Not bigger waves but it seemed as if two oceans were meeting and dancing around at the same place and turns out that was true. Dhanushkodi beach is the place where Bay of Bengal merges with Indian Ocean. There is a reference to mythology at this place and is believed to be where Lord Rama and his army built Ram Setu, otherwise known as Adam's Bridge across the sea connecting Rameshwaram Island (Tamil Nadu) and Mannar Island (Sri Lanka), to rescue his wife Sita from the clutches of the demon king Ravana. No, its not possible to see Sri Lanka from Dhanushkodi if that's what you are thinking about. Its about 18 Kms from the Dhanushkodi Beach.
As the sun was playing it's no mercy game and it was getting hot out there on the beach. I decided to walk back to the bus stop but to find no bus waiting there. I bought pineapple and watermelon from a small vendor shop nearby and decided to walk the way back as there was one way to get a bus and that would pass me in the opposite direction so that would alert me to look back for it's return. With that in mind I started walking on the empty road with zero traffic and sand dunes all around instead of crazy traffic and concrete buildings and people everywhere. After walking for sometime looking at all the craziness around me I saw a fisherman with his boat getting ready to sail for his catch. I waved to him and he gave back a warm smile and he asked me for help to push the boat lying on shore to the ocean with more gestures and less talks as I didn't understand what he was speaking. I helped him to push the boat and he was off on his journey as he rowed his boat against the waves and waved me back.
I was now at the old city of Danushkodi also known as the ghost town was once a busy town but now an abandoned place since it was destroyed by the Rameshwaram cyclone in 1964. We can still see the remains of old Church, Railway station, Railway tracks which existed there in their prosperous time. We can stand at ruins of a Church and can buy local items. What was supposed to be a busy town with fishermen being busy with sailing and catching fishes to trade to outside places was now a white washed place with an eerie feeling to it. After a short break I walked to the nearby building without a roof which looked like a church. Walking around the place you cannot stop imaging how horrific the day of destruction was for the people living there. The beach behind the broken church was sweeping up the waves as if the Ocean was still hungry to take lives. The place had few completely destroyed buildings with their walls standing alone without the doors or windows. There were a few huge walls standing parallel to each other waiting to be renovated which was supposed to be the railway station in those times. All that left was few fisherman's families who came back after the destruction accepting the loss and trying to live with whatever is left to them.
As it was lunch time and with no bus passing by, I decided to have my lunch in one of the few small hut hotels and took my seat on the bench. I ordered a fish meal and a water bottle and it was much more tastier than what I would have got in any of the restaurants of Rameswaram. The fish fry was spicy and the curry delicious. I filled my tummy and enjoyed the meal savouring it slowly as I had a lot of time. I finished my lunch and thanked for the meal and paid a mere 80/- rupees. I walked back to the other side and stood there waiting for the bus which eventually arrived after a long wait. The ride back was sleepy and slow as the bus stood at multiple stops on its way to main bus stop. I got down and took another bus to get to APJ Abdul Kalam memorial which is a Burial site of former President of India Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, marked by a life-sized statue. A beautiful museum with pictures and life journey of Abdul Kalam sir. After a short visit, I came out and decided to go to Pamban bridge to have a better view and if lucky a train sighting from the old bridge.
I took a bus which would go there and got down a bit far as the bus conductor instructed me to walk as the bus would take a diversion to other place. So I got down and started walking towards the bridge and eventually made it to the top. As I was just on the bridge and looking at the sight, I felt a trembling beneath my legs and it felt as if the bridge would collapse because of a bus going by on the bridge. It felt very unsafe but I got adjusted tot the feel of it and enjoyed the view from the bridge. Blue waters and small fishing boats were standing still as if it was a canvas painting and got a beautiful snap from the height when a small boat came near to the bridge. As I was taking some photos I heard the sound of the train and looking for the source of it I could make out the train coming onto the bridge rather very slowly.
By the time I arrived it was about time for the last boating trip of the day and I was grateful that I could make it just in time. I bought a ticket and made my way to take a corner seat for the better view. I was accompanied by a couple in their fifties maybe and after wearing life jackets we were off. The feel of the boat shacking side by side make me a bit nauseous but got adapted to it quickly and enjoyed the ride. As the boat made a u turn I could see the sun setting and it was mesmerising to see it from the boat. The rays falling onto the waves and making them all shining. We enjoyed the ride and came back to shore as it was about to fall dark.
I had snacks at the nearby hotel and put my phone for charging as it was almost dead and I had to call up the bus to know where i had to go to catch it. Once I got my phone charged, I called up the bus operator only to know that the bus was cancelled without any further notice. After a short debate and sending a complaint to red bus I hurriedly took an auto and went to bus stop where I could get a bus to Madurai and after a thrilling ride and a close miss I reached Madurai railway station just on time to catch my train to Bangalore to get back to my daily life with beautiful memories and an experience to remember for lifetime.