Dhanushkodi – The whisper in the Sound of Silence

Pamban Rail Bridge

Dhanushkodi – is where Legends, faith, awe, history, tragedy, fear, beauty, tranquility, peace.. all mix to form graphic emotions that leaves you speechless. A part of the Lyrics of a popular song “The sound of silence” plays on my mind “People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never shared, No one dared, Disturb the sound of silence”.  Dhanushkodi means the end of the Bow, this is another place of mythological importance as here’s where Lord Ram build the Ram Sethu to cross over to Ravan’s Lanka and reclaim his beautiful wife Sita. The Bridge build with Floating rocks (in Display at the Panchamukhi hanuman temple in Rameswaram), was believed to have been destroyed by the tip of Lord Ram’s arrow as per the wishes of the new King of Lanka ‘Vibhishana’. 

Double leaf bascule bridge

Pamban Bridge

The British centuries later did a smaller modern version of a similar bridge connecting the Rameshwaram Island to mainland India by rail “The Pamban Bridge”. So here’s the story of the Bridge built by the British. The Pamban bridge was India’s first sea Bridge and was opened on 24^th Feb 1914.  This rail bridge like any other conventional bridge rests on concrete piers what is unique is that it has a double-leaf-bascule bridge. The middle section raised up to let the Ships and barges pass through. The Pamban bridge was the only surface transport that connected the Island Rameshwaram to the mainland.

Rail bridge

Dhanushkodi Railway station 

More than half a century ago a depression in the Andaman Sea intensified into a Cyclonic storm, the landfall on the 22^nd of December 1964 caused immense destruction. High tidal waves swept away almost all of Dhanuskodi. On the fateful night, the Pamban-Dhanushkodi Passenger train which was a regular service and was on its usual route when it was washed away by huge tidal waves, all the 115 passengers on the train were washed away, never to surface again. The landfall in its wake had washed away most of Dhanuskodi.

The Massive destruction it caused left about 2000 people dead and many missing.

Church

Ruins

Dhanushkodi was eaten up by the sea and the massive destruction left the town uninhabited,It was declared as a Ghost town, with people left behind having abandoned their houses having witnessed the fury of nature. Fear is a long lasting emotion, as a reminder came the Tsunami in December 2004, when the sea receded to reveal the ruins swallowed by it only to re- emerge in a graphic replay with no warning signs unlike before.

Lands end

A little over 50 years have passed and now, We are connected by road to Rameshwaram, and in Dhanushkodi,  the roofless buildings have held up to the sun, attracting tourists. Now this place has a newly built road to “Lands End” Dhanushkodi, build in 2017 as a part of the memorial build for our Late President Abdul Kalam. Peace tranquility and beauty folds all into one at Dhanuskodi, the wind blowing softly at your hair, the waves lapping at your feet, give little but no indication of the bustling village it swallowed in its fury or any indication of an anxious Prince undertaking an impossible task of building a floating bridge to reclaim his kidnapped wife.

Abdul Kalam Memorial

Like it is said “Life goes on” Dhanushkodi too is slowly found its feet, loosing its fears and embracing the new found identity status of being the Late President’s home town in addition to the historical significance, mythological importance and the all existent remainders of tragedy.  Time heals all. Nothing lasts for ever; in current times not even Diamonds. History is, when people become numbers and Governments become dates.

Pamban Road Bridge

Dhanushkodi beach

Times change and life goes on. You cannot change what has happened and you cannot predict what will happen. All you have is NOW! Lets live it! Tomorrow…if tomorrow comes is another day.

The Legends of Thiru Uttaraikosamangai

Ramanad also known as Ramanathapuram in Tamilnadu houses one of the most elegant ancient temple called the “Uttaraikosamangai Temple” The temple is built in Dravidian style architecture. This is believed to be a 3000 year old temple of Mangalanathar and Mangaleswari and a Nataraja made of Emerald are the main deities of this temple. The Temple is considered as the first shiva temple of the world. The temple named Uttirakosamangai – where Uttiram means preaching, Kosam means Secret Mangai means Woman, here it denotes Goddess Parvathi, as the name suggests here is the place where Shiva tells the Secret of the universe to Goddess Parvathi. The temple also has two separate enterances one for Lord Shiva “Mangalanathar” and one for Goddess Shakti “Mangaleswari” which is unique, As all temples usually have one main entrance and inside it may house Gods under different Vimanas(towers).

Gopuram for Mangalanathar

Gopuam for Mangaleshwari

The interesting and unique aspects of this temple are that it houses a monolithic emerald statue of Nataraja, “Maragatha Natarajan” which is one of its kind as is perhaps the only statue known to be made of emerald, it is believed that emerald is a sensitive soft stone and it cannot withstand the vibrations and sounds made by musical instruments such as Madhalam and others, it could break with loud vibratons. Therefore, this emerald Nataraja statue is covered with the sandal powder all over the year. The Nataraja idol is covered in Sandal Paste and abishekam is performed to the God only once in an year during Thiruvathira Nakshatram of Marghazhi maasam that occurs in Dec-Jan and is the birth star of the Lord. After Abhishekam the idol is kept covered in Sandal Paste for the rest of the year to maintain the delicate idol in cool conditions throughout the year. One can wonder how a statue that cannot withstand the sound can be chisel carved, It is believed that the sculptor of this statue sculpt this Natarajar statue by the Mind sculpting method, even without touching it.

Dikapalakas

 The wonders of Shilpa Shastra can be explored in the beautiful sculptures found here, the pillars have beautiful lions carved out of stone, some of the carved lions have a round stone in its mouth that moves. This is the only temple where Thayamboo (Screwpine flower) that is banned in all Siva temples is allowed here, as this is the place where Brahma and the Flower Thayamboo that gave false evidence in favour of Brahma were absolved of their curse.

Mandapam at the temple

Every ancient temple has stories of its origin and association with mythology. This temple is believed to house the Kula Devata of Ravana and Mandodari. It is a well known fact that Ravana was a staunch Devotee of Shiva. Ravana and Mandodari’s wedding is supposed to have taken place here. It is one of the rare shiva temples that possess the three forms of worshiping Lord Shiva that is in a Moorthi (Idol) form, As swaymbo Lingam and as Agnee Theertham. So here goes the story Long ago King Ravana visited Mayasura (The King of the Asuras) and there he met a beautiful maiden “Mandodari”  who was the daughter of Mayasura. Ravana was instantly in love with her and asked for her hand in marriage. Mandodari was a Siva Bhakta and wanted to marry a man who was a great Shiva devotee. Ravana was a Shiva Bhakt and she therefore married Ravana. As time passed and she did not bear a child, she decided to do a severe penance  of Lord Shiva. Shiva was pleased with Mandodari’s penance and decides to appear before her and he tells 1000 rishis doing penance to keep the Vedas safe.

Illandimaram

Shiva appears to Mandodari in the form of a small child and Ravana Catches hold of the Child hurting it. Shiva then takes the form of Agnee and 999 Rishis burn in the fire to attain moksha, while one remains to take care of the Vedas. Siva Appears in the form of a Sahasra Lingam (1000 lingams merged into one) The one Rishi who remains to take care of the Vedas is the poet saint Manicka Vedavyasar in a later birth. The Mediyadi(footwear) of the saint exists under the a 3000 year old tree (Illandi maram) to this day and the place where Siva Appears in Agnee form is the Agnee Theertham at Utirakosammangai.