A Roadtrip To Rameshwaram

Why Visit Rameshwaram

If you are wondering if the long journey to the tip of this island of the Indian subcontinent is

worth it, here are the reasons why we think you should absolutely, definitely make this journey.

Home to the Missile Man of India - Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam

After what was along overnight journey from Bangalore to Rameshwaram, we finally reached this

tiny piece of island which produced one of India's finest scientist, teacher,

scholar and President - if you did not know this little fact already, this

little town is home to Dr.A.P.J Abdhul Kalam, the Missile Man of India. This

fact is celebrated in every little corner of this tiny town. Every shop, eatery

and nook and corner proudly displays a picture of this man who made his way to

the annals of Indian history. The Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial is a 2.11 acre

tribute to the simplistic life led by the great scientist and President and

houses his mortal remains laid to rest on July 27, 2015

The Ramanathasamy Temple of Rameshwaram

I kind of knew what to expect in the temple of Rameshwaram because the idea to visit this remote destination stemmed from the fact that I was carried away seeing those stunning pictures of the temple all over the internet. Having a close friend hailing from Rameshwaram helped hugely in arranging logistics to visit and get around. We reached this temple town after a nights halt at Madurai and a quick visit to the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple. While the mighty Pamban bridge built across the Bay of Bengal connecting the island of Rameshwaram to the Indian subcontinent had me amazed, it was nothing compared to the sheer marvel that lay in store in this tiny temple town.

While Rameshwaram did not seem to have any strict dress codes, it is optimal to wear something that would not be disrespectful to the sanctity of the place. While jeans is permitted for women, it is wise to pair it with a long kurta or tunic and cover your shoulders and chest. Slippers need to be left behind in the cloak rooms along with any bags or electronic gadgets. Photography is not permitted within the temple premises and visitors are screened through metal detectors prior to entry.

After reaching the Jiwan Residency hotel which faced a beautiful stunningly aqua blue ocean, we quickly showered and got ready to visit the temple which is at a walk-able distance. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple was scheduled to open past 3:30 and we almost made it there on time. After visiting the main deity I kept asking our friend and guide when we would reach the pillared corridors. To my impatient repetitive questions, almost always came the patient and composed answer - "Very soon my dear, very soon".

While I had kind of imagined what it would look like because I had seen the famed pictures in so many web pages, nothing prepared me for what I was about to witness. Amid the chatters, we took a right, and there, ahead of me, was the corridor of my dreams, the one I had traveled this far to witness - carved into thousands of pillars, pure exquisite magnificence from a bygone era stood frozen in time, the much famed thousand pillared corridors of Rameshwaram. With the evening sun casting its golden rays through the pillars highlighting the paintings and the colors, the corridors could easily bring the best of best architectures of the modern world to shame with its precision and accuracy in repeats. I could stay here and gape at those forever but we had to cover Dhanushkodi on the same evening and we had to hurry. If future allows, I would never miss a chance to visit this temple again and just revel in this beauty of a forgotten past, a timeless era

The Drive to Dhanushkodi

While still reeling from the colors in the Ramanathaswamy temple, we quickly got out, collected our slippers and mobile phones from the cloak room and started our 15 km drive to Dhanushkodi. We knew we were probably going to be late because I had spent way too much time gaping at the pillars of the temple. The sunset was around 6:30 and we had little time left to reach.

And we did not know the same traveler tip that I have mentioned above. This meant, that we reached only around 5:15PM and we were denied entry. Because my friend accompanying me was a local to the place and had friends who could convince the police that we really really wanted to visit Dhanushkodi was the only reason we managed to get past the check post as an exception. Otherwise, it is highly advisable to get here early to enjoy the beautiful beaches.

The drive through this newly constructed stretch of road that ends at the Ashoka Pillar marking the end of Indian main land is an unforgettable experience for anyone - the patch of land with the road narrows and eventually becomes so narrow that you have the sea on either sides of the road. While to your right the waves crash onto the shore line sending sand spraying to the roads from the strong winds, to your left is a much tamed aqua blue ocean with gentle waves lapping on the pristine white shores. If Florida has the Keys, India has Dhanushkodi - yeah, take that!

The Ghost Town of Dhanushkodi

While you are here, spend some time exploring the ruins left by the aftermath of the great cyclone in 1964. The ruins of a lone church and few other buildings that was otherwise a part of a prosperous port city of the British Era is all that is left of Dhanushkodi right now. History would say that this town was once home to buzzing businesses, trades and was home to all the facilities that you would expect in a port city - hotels, dharamshalas and textile shops that welcomed travellers communting between Dhanushkodi and the Talaimannar, now Ceylon in Srilanka.

Today, this town is home to about 500 fishermen who make their livelihood out of the ocean. There are multiple stalls selling little artifacts made from shell and the sea food prepared fresh from the days catch is popular here.

Care needs to be exercised while stepping into the beaches here. While one side of the beach can be pretty tame, the other can have strong currents - strong enough to pull people right into the depths of the ocean. The sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline itself was terrific and different from the regular waves we see elsewhere. There are fishing boats that set out into the sea every day and the colorful boats add beauty to the landscape.

Dhanushkodi is popular for its sunrises and sunsets. With Indian Ocean on one side and Bay of Bengal on the other, Dhanushkodi is one of the very few places where you can witness a sunrise and a sunset.

Epilogue

Rameshwaram packs in adventure, mystery, myth, history and unparalleled charm of natural beauty. This understated place can be a welcome break from the otherwise crowded beach destinations of India for the explorers of the less traveled offbeat places.

For complete details refer to the detailed post here - https://kindleandkompass.com/2019/04/04/madurai-rameshwaram-dhanushkodi-roadtrip/