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Dhanuskodi. This was the extreme point that one could walk that day as the tide dictates the length of this once buzzing but now ruined town; the shoreline changes wildly, to the extent of few square kilometers, during November, December many areas get submerged. Thalai mannar (Sri Lanka) is 15- 20 kilometers away from this point, for a long time this has been the landing zone for thousands and thousands of my Tamil brothers and sisters seeking refuge. The horrors they have been through before escaping the civil war and the horrors they undergo at the hand of authority once they land here are gut-wrenchingly painful.
Imagine holding your life and your two little kid's life in your hands, escaping a war that has claimed one too many lives of your family members and came pretty close to claiming yours too, on a Kalla thoni (sea coyote) with a belief that better life awaits you. But what do you get? You get dropped off on one of the seven islands, near the main island, in middle of the night, that disappear and appear due to variations of the tide. Awaiting cost guard to get you out; hours later, you walk few kilometers, with hunger and dehydration, reach the checkpoint where officials in Khaki openly steal that gold chain around your neck, which you sincerely believed would provide food for your kids for a week.
Note: This is a pilgrimage group just exploring the island. My story has nothing to do them but everything to do with me.
Considered holier to take a dip in the sea at Dhanuskodi at dawn. This place is historical and major part of happenings in Ramayana said to have happened here. Once bustling town of was swallowed by sea in a disastrous storm in 1964. The habitation vanished, now have to trekk in four wheel jeep on a strip of sand for 7 kilo metres to reach this lands end.
This is situated between South India and Sri Lanka.
Old church in Dhanuskodi which was destroyed due to storm and standing as a witness of the lost lives.
Arichal munai is often called “The Last Road of India” since another 18 km would get you into Sri Lanka. At the tip of the ruins of the ghost town of Dhanuskodi – is this spectacular meeting of the oh-so-calm Bay of Bengal and the roaring Indian Ocean. With a lovely drive accompanied by colorful sea (and ocean) on both sides, it is quite a tranquil spot. Be there early and the gleaming sun would light up the entire horizon.
A pair of eyes is not enough to take in the view. Hence took the aid of my flying friend to get this view, for you :)
Dhanushkodi is located on the tip of Pamban island separated by mainland by Palk strait. It shares the only land border between India and Sri Lanka, which is one of the smallest in the world at 45 metres (148 ft) in length on a shoal in Palk Strait.
The area around Rameswaram is prone to high-intensity cyclones and storms. A scientific study conducted by the Geological Survey of India indicated that the southern part of Dhanushkodi facing the Gulf of Mannar sank by almost 5 metres (16 ft) in 1948 and 1949, due to vertical tectonic movement of land parallel to the coastline. As a result of this, a patch of land of about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) in width, stretching 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from north to south, submerged in the sea.
On 17 December 1964, a depression formed at 5°N 93°E in the South Andaman Sea. On 19 December, it intensified into a cyclonic storm. After 21 December 1964, it moved westwards, almost in a straight line, at the rate of 400 to 550 kilometres (250 to 340 mi) per day. On 22 December, it crossed Vavunia in Sri Lanka and made landfall at Dhanushkodi on the night of 22–23 December 1964. Estimated wind velocity was 280 kilometres per hour (170 mph) and tidal waves were 7 metres (23 ft) high.
An estimated 1,800 people died in the cyclonic storm on 22 December including 115 passengers on board the Pamban-Dhanushkodi passenger train. The entire town was marooned and the Government of Madras declared Dhanushkodi as Ghost town, unfit for living.
In December 2004, the sea around Dhanushkodi receded about 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the coastline, exposing the submerged part of the town for a while followed by massive tsunami waves that struck the coast.
About 5000 houses and 700 fishing boats were destroyed in the Jaffna district of Ceylon. The district's paddy crop was also destroyed.
More than 3000 people, many of them tourists and pilgrims, were stranded on the island. The total damage to property was estimated at $150 million.
On December 23, an estimated 7.6 m (25 ft) storm surge struck the town of Dhanuskodi on the south-eastern edge of the island, submerging the town and overturning the Pamban-Dhanuskodi passenger train killing all 150 passengers on board. The town, an important transit point between India and Ceylon, was completely destroyed and has not been rebuilt since. Prior to the cyclone, the town had been an important commercial centre with a railway station, a customs office, post and telegraphs office, two medical institutions, one railway hospital, a panchayat union dispensary, a higher elementary school and port offices. A port had been functioning since 1 March 1914. At least 800 people were killed in Dhanushkodi alone.
Four radio operators remained in Dhanuskodi and risked their lives to continue broadcasting during the storm. They were ultimately caught up in the storm surge but survived by clinging to the Pamban Bridge for 12 hours. The government later honored and rewarded them for their dedication.
source: Wikipedia
Dhanushkodi is located on the tip of Pamban island separated by mainland by Palk strait. It shares the only land border between India and Sri Lanka, which is one of the smallest in the world at 45 metres (148 ft) in length on a shoal in Palk Strait.
The area around Rameswaram is prone to high-intensity cyclones and storms. A scientific study conducted by the Geological Survey of India indicated that the southern part of Dhanushkodi facing the Gulf of Mannar sank by almost 5 metres (16 ft) in 1948 and 1949, due to vertical tectonic movement of land parallel to the coastline. As a result of this, a patch of land of about 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) in width, stretching 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from north to south, submerged in the sea.
On 17 December 1964, a depression formed at 5°N 93°E in the South Andaman Sea. On 19 December, it intensified into a cyclonic storm. After 21 December 1964, it moved westwards, almost in a straight line, at the rate of 400 to 550 kilometres (250 to 340 mi) per day. On 22 December, it crossed Vavunia in Sri Lanka and made landfall at Dhanushkodi on the night of 22–23 December 1964. Estimated wind velocity was 280 kilometres per hour (170 mph) and tidal waves were 7 metres (23 ft) high.
An estimated 1,800 people died in the cyclonic storm on 22 December including 115 passengers on board the Pamban-Dhanushkodi passenger train. The entire town was marooned and the Government of Madras declared Dhanushkodi as Ghost town, unfit for living.
In December 2004, the sea around Dhanushkodi receded about 500 metres (1,600 ft) from the coastline, exposing the submerged part of the town for a while followed by massive tsunami waves that struck the coast.
About 5000 houses and 700 fishing boats were destroyed in the Jaffna district of Ceylon. The district's paddy crop was also destroyed.
More than 3000 people, many of them tourists and pilgrims, were stranded on the island. The total damage to property was estimated at $150 million.
On December 23, an estimated 7.6 m (25 ft) storm surge struck the town of Dhanuskodi on the south-eastern edge of the island, submerging the town and overturning the Pamban-Dhanuskodi passenger train killing all 150 passengers on board. The town, an important transit point between India and Ceylon, was completely destroyed and has not been rebuilt since. Prior to the cyclone, the town had been an important commercial centre with a railway station, a customs office, post and telegraphs office, two medical institutions, one railway hospital, a panchayat union dispensary, a higher elementary school and port offices. A port had been functioning since 1 March 1914. At least 800 people were killed in Dhanushkodi alone.
Four radio operators remained in Dhanuskodi and risked their lives to continue broadcasting during the storm. They were ultimately caught up in the storm surge but survived by clinging to the Pamban Bridge for 12 hours. The government later honored and rewarded them for their dedication.
source: Wikipedia
Remains of a boat at dhanuskodi, a small town some (30Kms from Rameshwaram and around 95Kms from Ramanathapuram), which was fully drowned in the sixties due to an alleged 'Tsunami' kind of floods!(No awareness on Tsunami then!!!)
Now the place is deserted...and is a tourist place, you cannot drive there,(to save your car from getting into the beach and sea) had to go on some 4X4 trucks those fishermen have.
you end up in a peninsula with a narrow strip of land, ending right there! A beautiful sight to watch....you against the magnificent nature! and no body else!!!
From my achives I shot during my Vac.
About the Image:
Single Exposure( No HDR). Applied some masks, tonal corrections, HPFilter and blending with Overlay option to enhance details! Have a nice weekend!
Neechal Kali, who survived the 1964 Dhanuskodi cyclone, and a swimmer who swam over Palk Strait from Dhanuskodi to Sri Lanka, India, Danuskodi, 2006
This picture was shot in Dhanuskodi, an island lies between Rameswaram in India and Talai Mannar in Sri Lanka. Before 1964 this place was a bustling town with all infracture and people. A devilish storm which lashed this place for 4 days swallowed all and reduced this to place to some sand mounds. There is nothing left, all perished. Grim Reminder Of The Disaster Is The One See Above
I am not adding any, because , it is extensively covered in print and visual media all over the world. Especially several tv channels were on full swing and transmitting live pictures from several places at the same time.
This vivid ring is the result of eclipsing of the Sun by the Moon, as seen in Dhanuskodi, a remote locale near Rameswaram, Tamilnadu, India and beamed all over world. A narrow sandy path takes you to the lands end in holy Dhanuskodi after a back braking journey by jeeps.
Since childhood, I’d been fascinated by the beauty of sea. When I was twelve, we had a family gathering and decided to go to the beaches nearby. Part of the group wanted to go for a boating. The proposal was accepted by all and we started. We hired a small boat that was good but didn’t realize that it had exceeded the maximum safe load it could take with two family hopping in. With hardy 4 inches visible above the sea level Plimsoll might have felt proud to have invented those lines to indicate load .
The fisherman who rode the boat reassured with a smile, saying its normal! Still with sea water splashing on the gripped hands, everybody was scared to the core, some looked pale and few had a premonition that its going to be too risky! Sensing Gods of fortune were not favoring much, we decided to turn the boat back, when this went on a genius in the group who knew swimming, jumped into the water thinking he could reduce the load and save the rest of us. Contrary to his line of thinking, the four inch separation between us and the sea went zero due to turbulance he caused. Within milliseconds, everything was blue, everybody was down, only bubbles of oxygen went up to join the atmosphere…tried to hold on to the legs of somebody and ended up being frantically kicked off. A fishing crew of around 12 members jumped in to save the two families.
I never learnt to swim, thinking seas would always have mermaids who could save a 12 year old. Those 5 seconds, I realized mermaids are not true and they have to be taken off the story books! And just before my brain could shut down, somehow caught hold of an anchor rope of another boat (God giving a second chance!) and with just reflex managed to climb on and pulled myself out of water.
For the first time I realized the world is much more beautiful, sunlight is pleasant and oxygen had fragrance! Some fishermen pulled me out and took to the shores. From that moment, I started respecting the sea. I always keep my distance, never even soaked my legs to feel the soil eroding between my toe fingers!
Saw this kid trying to swim but never really crossed the sands to enjoy the sea. Felt nostalgic, as the cold breeze nailed some chillness into my spine, I looked down. Ah…I’m safe as long as I’m on the sand!!!
Palk strait | Dhanuskodi | 2014
This is the point where Bay of Bengal meets the Indian ocean.You can see the waves in 2 directions in the photo.So this place had become sacred for the hindus to perform the rituals .From here katcha Theevu is just 15 kms !!
Five faced Hanuman Temple
The idols of Rama,Sita and Hanuman are kept in this temple after 1964 Dhanuskodi cyclone. So also floating stones called ‘Sethu Bandhanam’ supposed to be used in the mythological Sethu bridge are here.
Rameswaram set : www.flickr.com/photos/29848963@N03/sets/72157640776907414/
| Dhanuskodi | Rameswaram | 2014
Dhanuskodi ( which means end of the bow) is the south eastern tip of pamban island.There were people living in this place earlier.The 1964 cyclone and the drowning of the passenger train turned this island upside down. Even now we can witness the remains of that cyclone here and there in this island..Only a few residents are there now in this place.There are no basic amenities that are available for the people.They walk from Dhansukodi to Rameswaram to fulfill their requirements.Dhanushkodi had become a popular tourist spot and a cinema shooting spot