When it was decided tat my next place to visit is Ghost Town "Dhanuskodi",i googled it just like anybody else.There are so many posts mentioned about the local jeep is the only transportation we should hire if we wish to go till the end point of Dhanuskodi.Thats how people would have gone by till recently but now full stretch road has laid down which takes us easily even by public bus.There are many government public buses which runs between Rameshwaram and Dhanuskodi.
Yet you can go ahead and hire a 4 seater local jeep for your own comfort.This gives you a chance to interact with the driver who can have a lot of tales to share.If you are going with a group of elderly people then i recommend to go with the jeep as you have luxury to stop at wherever you want to.
This deserted place was kind of the busiest town until 1964.One fateful day in december a sudden cyclone had hit this place and grounded everything right from railway track to all the houses.Only ruins are left over today.
Lord Rama marked a spot with one end of his bow to build a bridge (Adam’s Bridge aka Ram Sethu bridge) that connects India and Srilanka. That spot is called Dhanuskodi (“Dhanus”-Bow).There are so many spots through out Rameshwaram which relates to the epic Ramayana like Mount Gandhamadana,Ramar patham,lakshmana theertham,kothandaramaswamy temple etc.
Dhanushkodi is located at the tip of the Pamban island. Like any island you would soon be approaching the path surrounded by water on both the sides if you drive from Rameshwaram.Here it is two different oceans on both the sides of the road.One is the silent less wavy Indian ocean and the other is Bay of bengal which is full of ferocious waves.
It was a major hub before 1964.You can see the ruins of hospital, high school and churches still.The harbour remaining were scraped few years back just for the metal pieces.
It’s just 30 kms from Rameshwaram. There was a train running from Chennai (Boat mail) and drops the passengers at Dhanushkodi From there they were transported in a ferry to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is only 15kms from here.There were some stories like navy officers might arrest if you wander there aimlessly, it is because of smuggling activities happening in this area.
Very little traces of train track can be seen near Mukundarayar chathiram.Non local transport are checked at the check post in Mukundarayar chathiram.
Some times you can see the people digs up few feet down to get sweet drinking water in the shore area.Though homes are allotted to them they are living around this deserted place.Neechal kali, a 1964 cyclone survivor and a swimmer who was the inspiration for many generations of Dhanuskodi.By seeing him staying alone in this area, inspired others also to engage in their daily activities in Dhanuskodi.
If you are a religious person and want to remove all the committed sins then you should go Rameshwaram as it is one of the Char Dhams and also one of the jyothirlingams. If you are interested in mythological stories like Ramayana,then this place is like fodder for your interest.You have just little interest in Geography? then you should visit Dhanuskodi just to be amazed by what two different oceans can offer you.
Stay options:
I tried Booking.com but seems like hotels don't obliged to provide you rooms at busy times though you had pre booked.