harimohan paruvu: The Tirunelveli Diaries - Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi

This was when we were still in Tuticorin. I checked out the distance between Tuticorin and Rameshwaram - I doubt if I will ever be so close - so I decided to go for it whether anyone came along or not. Rameshwaram is one of the four holy dhams for Hindus - Puri, Dwarka and Badrinath being the others I think. The distance was some 180 kms and it was to take about four hours. Since our match finished in three days, we had a full day to ourselves. Jyo, Chattu, Santosh, Krishna, Sajid and Subhash wanted to join so off we went in an Innova, slightly cramped but full of high spirits. Time of dep - 730 am.

Chai stop - Jyo, Chattu and Krishna

Pamban bridge - uplifting

The road was not the best for most part which we were warned about - single road mostly. There were many windmills, one of the features of the deep South, lot of wind, almost howling mostly. Then there were these women who would have these huge barrows in which they carried water in plastic buckets - water was a problem here so close to APJ Kalam's hometown. We stopped for a chai at a nice joint and off we went onwards. There was some Muslim festival going on - lots of people coming by in all kinds of vehicles.

Cute house - Rameshwaram

The Ramanathaswamy temple on Rameswaram island (its a Shiva temple) is one of the 12 jyotirlingas. Story is that the lingam was established and worshiped by Lord Rama before he crossed the Ram setu. It is one of the four dhams of the Char dham pilgrimage that crisscross India - Dwarka in the west, Barinath in the North and Puri to the East). The original temple was expanded by the Pandyas in the 12th century and it has the longest corridor among all the Hindu temples. There are 64 teerthas, 24 of which are important (a dip in all cleanses your sins), 12 of them in the temple itself.

Entry into the temple

The Pamban bridge was the first of sights that invigorated us - people stopped by and took pics whc they are not supposed to as the bridge had sea on both sides and connected the mainland to Rameshwaram. Beautiful sight!

The famous corridors

The temple

Our major concern was getting to the temple before 12 because it was to be shut till 4 pm after that. We somehow made it by 1140 and rushed in. The first thing about Rameshwaram is the huge, painted corridor that we walk into, shops on either side. There was no prohibition of photos so I clicked away. We bought ourselves a 200 buck speed darshan (there's a 100 buck one as well) and that pretty much speeded up our darshan. Though it is called Rameshwaram, the deity is of Shiva and it is believed Lord Rama prayed to Shiva here or something to that effect. Darshan done - there are other rituals like dipping oneself in 21 teerthas - which we did not do. We stepped out of the marvelous structure with its longest corridor and beautifully painted ceilings and walked into the hot, hot sun and could barely walk on the road.

Near Dhanushkodi - sea on both sides

A railway station of the ghost town

A sip of coconut water and we hopped into our Innova and headed to Dhanushkodi which is a tapering piece of land from where Lord Rama and his army of vanaras were supposed to have built the Ram setu. Sri Lanka they say is a mere 40 kms from the end of that land. People cannot stay back in Dhanushkodi and must return by 5 pm.

Traffic jam at end of land

Fish meal at hut

There was once a village they say ad a proper civilisation with a railway station, houses and such which was destroyed in a cyclone. All that remains now is the ghost town of Dhanushkodi. Our driver took us into the strip of land packed with cars and minivans and such, causing a huge traffic jam. We got off some distance away - sea on both sides, gusty winds that blew our caps away. I walked by the sea and wet my feet, walked right to the tip where there is a circular path. People just sat there watching the ocean - pineapple and mango strips there to eat along with coconut water. My phone got stuck so I could not take pics. Also realised that we were out of India's network and our Airtel network was showing international roaming.

Our dhaba - many such here

View from lighthouse of land end

Ghost town view

We soon made our way back to the Innova, found ourselves a hut which the driver suggested was best for local fish curry and rice and we sat down for a nice meal. After that we headed out - Krishna, Santosh and me climbed atop the lighthouse from where we got brilliant views of the Land's End and the ghost town and then climbed down.

Rama temple

Pamban bridge

Not enough time to check out the Kalam Memorial so we skipped it and went (we passed by a sign that said, way to Kalam's house) and a huge tank. We stopped for a moment on the Pamban bridge and then off we headed back to Tuticorin.