Dhanushkodi which is also known as Danushkodi, literally meant "end of the bow". This small town is ghost town in Tamil Nadu. Situated in the southern tip of Pamban Island, this tiny desolated town in South India Dhanushkodi gained special attraction to the visitors for its isolated beauty.
Dhanushkodi is situated to the South-East of Pamban Island or
Rameshwaram Island. Danushkodi is about 29 kilometres west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. Dhanushkodi railway line is running from Pamban Railway Station, which was destroyed in the 1964 cyclone.
Mythological History of Dhanushkodi
Dhanushkodi is mentioned in the Hindu scriptures and in the Indian epic,
Ramayana. It said that Lord Rama built a bridge or causeway, called
Ram Setu or "Lord Rama’s bridge". This is the communication cord between the mainland India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon), in order to bring his army across. After
Lord Rama won the war against Ravana and crowned a new king of Lanka,
Vibhishana, requested Lord Rama to destroy the bridge. Lord Rama broke the bridge with one end of his bow.
Hence the name here is Dhanushkodi. It is also said that Lord Rama originally marked the spot for the bridge with one end of his famous bow. The series of rocks and islets currently found in a line between India and Sri Lanka suggests there was indeed a former land connection between India and Sri Lanka. The Kodhanda Ram Kovil temple marks the place where Lord Rama is said to have begun his journey to Sri Lanka to engage the war against
Ravana.
Pilgrimage Tourism in Dhanushkodi
Dhanushkodi also acts as pilgrimage tourism spot even now also. Before 1964 cyclone, this small town was in the map of pilgrimage tourism sites in India. But now, the Hindu pilgrims usually bathe in the ocean here before completing the pilgrimage to Rameswaram. The spot is considered a sacred confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the
Indian Ocean. In addition, it is said that pilgrimage to the holy city of
Kashi in North India is not complete without worshipping at Rameswaram, including the ritual bath at Dhanushkodi.
