HAUNTING YET appealing, deserted but still full of life, eerie but fascinating — Dhanushkodi is full of contradictions. Bow's End (as translated from Tamil) is a sure delight if you have a penchant for impossibly blue seas, pristine white sands and ruins by the shore. Bordered by the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, this semi-ghost town is probably one of the most spectacular stretches in Tamil Nadu.
Breathtaking beauty, a population of less than 500, the nearest telephone about 20 km away, out of reach of mobile signals and the feeling of being in a place which was once alive, now reduced to rubble, makes it a place truly less travelled. And standing at the tip of India is a pretty heady feeling!
The road that leads to the land's end is lined with casuarina and the sea on either side. A ride down this 18 km-long, impeccably straight road leading to the ruins of a township is an exciting experience by itself. Dhanushkodi was a major point of entry to India until 1964, when a cyclone devastated the entire town, washing away the railway track, a steam engine and its carriages, and the entire village.
How to get there:
Rail: There are direct trains from Chennai to Rameswaram — Sethu Express and Rameswaram Express. From Rameswaram several buses ply to Dhanushkodi.
Road: There are no straight buses from Chennai. However, there are buses from Madurai to Rameswaram.
Air: Madurai is the nearest airport.
Where to stay: Most hotels offer affordable accommodation, but if you are looking for a package — food, guide, cab, etc. — TTDC is recommended.
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