The last land of India, Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Islands in Tamil Nadu. As confirmed by geologists, it is a faint bridge that connects India to Sri Lanka.
Popularly known as the ghost town, Dhanushkodi is home to about 60 fishermen and local shopkeepers. The once thriving place gets its name as the ‘Ghost Town’ after a massive cyclone that occurred in 1964. After the incident, Dhanushkodi was declared uninhabitable.
55 years have passed and the town has gradually started to revive. A trail of travellers is visible now who, in search of an offbeat destination, explore this fascinating ghost town. A serene experience is relaxing on the beach and listening to the sounds of mighty waters of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal.
Apart from this, there are many destinations that are in the vicinity of Dhanushkodi.
PAMBAN BRIDGE
Dhanushkodi is located on the tip of Pamban Island which is connected to mainland India through a 100-year-old railway bridge. It has got the distinction of being India’s first sea bridge and was opened on February 24, 1914. The rail bridge is a conventional bridge resting on concrete piers, but has a double-leaf bascule section midway, which can be raised to let ships and barges pass through. Until 1988, the Pamban Bridge was the only way to commute to Rameswaram from the mainland.
In 1988, a road bridge was also constructed parallel to the rail bridge. This is also known as Indira Gandhi Road Bridge. The Pamban Road Bridge connects the National Highway (NH 49) with the Rameswaram Island. It stands on the Palk Strait and between the shores of Mandapam and Pamban Island.
WATER BIRD SANCTUARY
The water bird sanctuary is one of the other eye-catching destinations near Dhanushkodi. The water bodies provide shelter to a variety of flora and fauna, and birds are one of its prime visitors. These natural water bodies reach to its full brim during the monsoon and become a paradise for ornithologists and bird watchers. During the north-east monsoon season from October to January it is filled with migratory birds as well as native birds. The native birds visit here for feeding while the migratory birds come for breeding. The rare and exotic bird species from Australia and Europe are a visual treat to the eyes of tourists.
Ibis, storks, pelicans, herons and egrets are some of the popular waders and littoral birds, which you can find here.
ADAM’S BRIDGE (Rama Setu)
The Adam’s bridge starts as a chain of shoals from the Dhanushkodi tip of India’s Pamban Island and ends at Sri Lanka’s Mannar Island. Pamban Island is semi-connected to the Indian mainland by the 2-km-long Pamban Bridge. Mannar Island is connected to mainland Sri Lanka by a causeway. The border between India and Sri Lanka is said to pass across one of the shoals, constituting one of the shortest land borders in the world.
HOUSE OF KALAM
Bringing the tour to a significant turn, one must visit the Kalam House which is just 19 Km away from Dhanushkodi. It is situated on Mosque Street. This house is the place where Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, Former President of India and one of the greatest scientists, had lived as a child. He was raised along with his brother here, by parents- Jainulabdeen, who was a boat owner and Ashiamma, his mother.
Inside the house, one can see an array of photographs showing Late President’s childhood and early stages of his life. The collections at the house, which has been arranged in a manner to offer a glimpse into his life, offer a lot of information about the Late President Dr APJ Kalam. There are medals, awards, photographs of his childhood days as well as his research works at the museum. One can also find materials that display his highly valued contribution to defense development and researches.
