Dhanushkodi

Located at the distance of 20 KM from Rameshwaram, Dhanushkodi is a must visit place for all the tourists who come to Tamil Nadu. There are direct buses available from Rameshwaram which would take you to Dhanushkodi within 45 minutes. After alighting at the beach, you can take a van to visit the ghost town where you can see the ruins of a village. The entired place was wiped out in a sea disaster around 1960s.

Many people go into the middle of the sea to perform religious rituals to pacify the departed souls.

The beach is a beautiful scenary with its crystal clear sea water and white sand. We can also see fishermen indulge in their routine affair.

It is an excellent place to visit in Tamil Nadu. Don't miss it!

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I had gone on a spiritual tour to Rameshwaram. On that trip, I was fortunate to visit Dhanushkodi. The memorable thing at the trip was, we had to travel in a van along the seashore in a marsh land to reach Dhanushkodi. The ride was precraious but enjoyable. Pristine beaches and ruined buildings were quit enthralling sights to see. This is a must visit place in tamilnadu. Don't miss it.

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Dear friends, When I visited Rameswaram in 2014 I visited Dhanushkodi also. It is nearly 40km fm Rameswaram.

Dhanushkodi is a like island. it surrounded by fully ocean. In 1960 Tsunami this place got heavy casualities. So that all houses, Railway station, Post offices are totally washed-out. But still that damaged Building is standing there. hence it gives us that memories.

There is no any local sightseeing places in Dhanushkodi. Only we can see Beach 7 damaged places.

There is no staying places in dhanushkodi. Because there is no any basic amenities there.

finally, I will tell one important thing, Its not a saftey place after 06.00pm.

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I visited dhanushkodi four years ago, its a fantastic place I seen, its a historic place dhanushkodi at rameshwaram district tamilnadu, dhanushkodi is also known as ghost city we must seen the places church and railway station, ramarpatham temple, dhanushkodi beach, mannar marine national park. If we visit rameshwaram temple the vehicles available to dhanushkodi, we cant reach there with our ordinary vehicles people using 4*4 vehicles to reach dhanushkodi. the accommodation at rameshwaram is cheap, no access restrictions at dhanushkodi, i recommend dhanushkodi is a historic and good place.

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Dansuhkodi is a Small town on the southern tip from Rameshwaram, which is now in a devastated state, we travelled till some place, where the road was barricaded, after that you have to park your vehicle and there are matador vans are there which will take you to some place near the shore .which is really not much worthy to see, vans takes 1.5 hrs to do up and down and it goes via the sand beach which seems to be a adventurous trip but you will find nothing major outcome on the shore, place they drop you at shore is also not a place from where ram Setu starts .there is a pakka road from the parking place of your vechie to the ram Setu which is closed for tourist as per them, but I think this is all due to locals who use their matadors for taking people from there to beach .Not a worthy place to go if you are not going straight to ramsetu .vans also charges hefty amount 150 rs per person .-and takes 1.5 hours, on return they visit dhanushkhodi village which is in ruins .I visited dhanushkhodi June 2017.not at all recommended to spend time and money .

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Visited this place in Jan 2010. Well I did not visit this place for a tour but visited this Place for performing Spiritual Rights for my Father. It has a long way to go from Rameshwaram.. The Cars could go upto a particular place and after that until Dhanushkodi edge u hav to travel in a 4X4 Jeep or SUV only because u hav to go all way only in Beach Sands..

On the Way u will able to Visit DhanushKodi Temple, Tsunami Destroyed Dhanushkodi Town and Destroyed Railway Station..

This place is also used in many South Indian Movies..

Cons -

1) Most Staying place are Mess.. Not Clean.. Not upto mark.. Its ok, if u dont worry about cleanliness..

2) Food is not good too..

3) Parking area is worst to find..

Overall A must Visit place both for Tourists and for Spiritual Performers. This Place is also famous for Sunrise photography and People to observe Solar and other Eclipse too..

A place NEVER TO BE MISSED..

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I have been telling my family .. of and on .. that I want to go to Rameswaram…My wife used to put her fore finger on her nose …. and give me the ..I told you so …looks…

…has the doctor told you ..your liver is about to pack up…. what is it ..fatty liver ..or the final ..cirrhosis….

…I ask her ..what Rameswaram has got to do ..with my drinking habits ….

….she tells me ..that all good Hindus have the urge to visit ..Kasi ..Rameswaram ..and few other temple cities like Mathura and Haridwar …when they realize ..that their time on earth… is running out..

…I tell her she is stuck with me for many more years…It is the good , that die young….

I had last visited Rameswaram in the year 1958… I can’t claim that the visit was religiously motivated ..as I was a toddler of six years .. who needed his mother’s help to pee..

….I remembered the train passing through Mandapam Camp…looking across the sea ..as the train passed over Pamban bridge and reaching Rameswaram…the tonga ride to the dharamshala…and the walk to the temple..

..what I remembered most was the short train ride to Dhanushkodi town ..and standing with my parents ..who were pointing out to me ..the bridge made by Hanuman and his Vanar friends…..so that Ram and his Army could cross over to Lanka..

…I told them I can’t see Lanka…They shushed me ..and said when you grow taller, you will be able to see..

…. The magnificent church on the beach .. with the sea waves , almost caressing its walls…..remained in my mind…..for many years..

….after walking through the cavernous corridors of the Madurai Meenakshi Temple ..we were on our way to Rameswaram…I stopped the car on the Pamban bridge .. and took photographs of President Abdul Kalam’s fishing village ..with its array of fishing boats ..trawlers ..fishing nets , spread around for drying..like Neenda kara ..but more beautiful

..In the afternoon sun ..I could see the sea bottom ..from the bridge ..looking up ..I was transfixed by the vastness of the ocean all around me …. And how small and insignificant we are … with our petty ambitions and pettier disappointments….

….Swami Vivekananda stood here in 1850 ..and gave a speech on Hinduism …a marble tablet proclaimed …in front of the Rameswaram Temple…

I told a guide I wanted to visit Dhanushkodi …. They said leave your Ford Fiesta at the Hotel and take a contraption with sand tyres ..that looked like a Jugaad ..running around in Punjab…a tractor modified to look like a mini bus without a roof….

….We bumped along through ..swampy sandy streches … where the sea water had seaped up from below ground …I could see broken remains of railway tracks ..lying about ….like bits of discarded ribbon …

….. the driver tells me.. a great sea storm …with hurricane scale winds.. ripped through Dhanushkodi … in the 1960 ‘s…burying the city and its inhabitants ..in a watery grave…

… I stood.. next to the broken ruins..of my favourite church on the sea beach…I remembered so well as a six year toddler…. It looked ..as.if ..it had been bombed by the Germans… and then its belly eaten up by the sea creatures … bricks corroded by the salty water …a childhood memory erased …. ..

….I told my family ..I had stood right there ..fifty years back ..holding onto the fingers of my mother…

….Then it was throbbing with people ..the sounds of fish market nearby ..the train hooting and sneezing from the nearby station… and the greedy crows swooping in and out …for a meal

….Dhanushkodi …… was gone ……. forever …..

Experiencing India

Rajan 215

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People consider Rameshwaram & Dhanushkodi the Holiest of all Holy Places!This was my Fifth Pilgrimage to Rameshwaram and so, I have such a fairly good personal knowledge and experience of the place that I'd love to share with you all in all religiosity.

I.Inroduction: (This Pilgrim's Progress!)

a) Throwing My Heavy Oppressive Baggage 'EGO' / 'ahankar' to the winds, on the 10th of February, 2006, I chose to travel light from Chennai to Rameshwaram. I took the Vaigai Superfast Express Train up to Madurai (5hr-dash) & from there, took a bus to reach the Temple City Rameshwaram at 2 a.m. (4hour-crawl) to be ready for the Early Morning Darshan at 4.30.

b) Finding Accommodation posed a big problem as I was single -- reasons: They say, 'High Alert Area, LTTE, Suicides, & other threats'. Later, using my reference & influence, around noon, I got a good Double-Bed Top-class Accommodation in The Sringeri Mutt Complexvery next to the Ramanathaswamy Temple.

II. First A Quick Darshan:Darshan of the Presiding Deities is the topmost obsession in every pilgrim's psyche. I too had this irresistible urge & readily & willingly, yielded to it. Had a bath, made myself clean & pure & got ready. Walked for a few minutes to reach the Eastern Gate of the Temple & rushed in with flowers. Had the VERY RARE Paid Darshan of the 'Spatika (Crystal) Lingam' & after a cursory darshan of other deities, pending some elaborate ones later, I walked back.

III. Why Is Rameshwaram the Holiest of the Holy?

a) The Temple Town Rameshwaram is said to be a Conch-Shaped Island (Symbolic of the Holy Paanchajanyam in Lord Vishnu's Hand)From Time immemorial, all the Hindus, the rich & the poor, have been considering it their life's mission to visit Rameshwaram & Varanasi at least once before they breathe their last. In olden days when the transportation facilities were primitive, they are said to have covered the places in months by foot & by bullock-carts wherever available.

b) The Legend:

According to the great Epic 'The Ramayana', Lord Rama waged a war against Ravana, the Asura king of Lanka, to retrieve his wife Goddess Sita cunningly abducted by him. He is reported to have stayed in Rameshwaram on both his onward & return journey to Lanka which is just 24 km by sea from there.After his conquest of Sri Lanka, Sri Rama prayed to Lord Shiva to forgive his sin of killing Ravana. It is said, Lord Rama & Devi Sita installed & desecrated the Jyotir Linga called 'Ramalinga', the Presiding deity of the temple. He also installed 'Vishvalinga', Anjaneya had brought from Varanasi.

IV. Recconnaisance Survey of the Temple:

a) TWO Imposing LOFTY TOWERS: After my noon meals & a short rest & a mandatory coffee in a good restaurant there, I came to the Eastern Entrance of the Temple. There stood a Massive 126 feet high Tower (Raja Gopuram) with 9 levels in all its Dravidian Architectural Brilliance, Beauty & Glory. On the opposite side, I saw the grand Western Gopuram around 78 feet high.

b) The Long Ornate Corridors That Take Our Breath Away if we are not dead inside: The Corridors: said to be the longest in the world with about 1000 pillars & columns. There is a Coridor, said to be 1220 metre long 22 feet high, with beautiful pillar-carvings and painted ceiling. A spectacle to see, admire & dream of!

V. Holy Bathing ('Snan' in Sacred Water Springs) The next morning, I decided to have the Darshan in the temple. Before purifying the 'soul' by darshan, we are required to get our body purified by bathing in the Sacred Theerthams inside the temple.These waters are believed to possess great Medicinal properties & Magical Purifying Powers on both body & mind & so, called Holy Theerthams each tasting different from the others. There are some 22 natural water wells inside the temple I engaged a paid Waterman with a bucket & rope to draw water from the Holy Wells & pour on my head. First, like all pilgrims, I had a holy dip in the Agnitheertham in the calm sea, just 100 metres in front of the temple Eastern Gates. With wet clothes, I proceeded to the temple. I had holy bath in all the 22 theerthams with the waterman's help.

Here are some Signifiant Theerthams: 1.Sethu Madhava Theertham: for wealth & purification of heart. 2.Kavatcha Theertham: to avoid going to the Hell. 3.NaLa Theertham: For getting into Heaven 4.Surya Teertham: For the attainment of Trikaala Gnan; 5. Jadaayu Theertham: Water as sweet as Coconut Water. 6. RaNavimOchana Theertham: To get rid of DEBTS.

VI. Darshan: b) After the snan (bathings), I changed clothes & went inside the Temple. After getting the permission from Nandikeshwara, I had a full darshan of Lord Vishwanatha & Goddess Visalakshi. & then Ramanathaswamy & Goddess Parvatha Vardhini.The Ramalingam/ Ramanathaswamy is the presiding deity of the temple. After offering prayers to Lord Vishnu, as Sheshanarayana and to Sethu Madhava & Goddess Lakshmi, I came out of the temple.. It took more than an hour to have all the darshans & prayers.

VII. Rameshwaram Temple is Not Built In A Single Day:

a) It is said that Parakrama Bahu, the ruler of Ceylon built the sanctum sanctorum of Ramanahaswamy Temple and The Sethupathis, rulers of Ramanathapuram since 12th century, built the Gopurams (Towers), corridors (praharams) and other massive structures of the temple. It is said, this temple Construction work took as many as 350 years for completion.

b) Other Temples Nearby:

There are other temples in & near Rameshwaram. I visited a few of them. In the Gandhamadhana Parvatham (Hill) about five kilometers from the town, there is a temple where Lord Rama’s footprints are there for worship. On my way to Dhanushkodi I visited The Kothandaramaswamy temple depicting Vibheeshana's surrender to Lord Rama.

VIII.: Other Attractions: Good Spots for Sea-Criusing, angling & watching Coral Reefs & Shopping Handicrafts & artefacts. Dhanushkodi:I reached it by a shared-jeep. It was thrilling to have 108 soulful dips in the sea where The Bay Of Bengal & The Indian Ocean kiss. I visualized this 'Sethu Bridge (Adam's Bridge) very near to the bathing ghat & I remembered the aerial photographs by NASA dancing before my eyes.

Over to you, Friends, for RRC

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