Madurai, Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi; A walk through the land of Joy and Sorrows

“Travel is an obsession

Embrace the richness

       Fall in love by all forms "

Imagine, how you will feel, to sit alone near a pond in midst of crowd, breeze blowing over your body, and your face and mind filled with a sense of peace and tranquillity. I will call it as an overwhelming, breathtaking and soothing experience. That was the feeling I gathered in one of the Ancient temples of India, Madurai Meenakshi temple.

So it all happened overnight. Ashwin, my travel mate and I were planning a journey and Madurai, Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi came to our heads. Obviously, it was not a pilgrimage. The place came to us randomly and we decided. That was it.

Our country is blessed with a very good railway network. It is the third largest railway network in the world. It connects every corner of the country with the other. The journey started from Trivandrum. We went to Punalur to catch the Punalur-Madurai passenger train. We reached Madurai around 5.30 am. We got freshened up at the railway station itself and headed towards the land of temples.

Athens of the East

Madurai is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major city of the state and is located on the banks of River Vaigai. The city has a number of religious sites. You can sense the cultural traditions of Tamil Nadu throughout the city. At the first glance, you will fall in love with the soul and beauty of the city. 

After having a small breakfast, we headed to Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple, one of the most prominent landmarks of the city. The complex is surrounded by streets which are meant only for pedestrians. The temple has 14 towers, the southern tower being the tallest with a height of 51.9 meters. There were a few security procedures before entering the temple. Food items and cameras were strictly prohibited inside the temple. Once you enter the temple, you cannot get out without admiring the brilliance of ancient Indian architecture. Whether it is the pillars with Hindu gods in it, various sculptures, or the shrines, everything is a treat for your eyes. Being a non-Hindu, I was restricted entry to some places inside the temple.

A golden lotus pond is a place where we can sit and feel the serenity of infinite peace. We will get sensations of blood flowing throughout our body. Prasadam (A devotional offering to God ) stalls are inside the complex and they had a very good aroma associated with them. The fragrance from the flowers sold by flower vendors was an icing to the cake.

Madurai Meenakshi temple will offer a double delight for both worshippers and tourists.There are also other tourist destinations like Alagarkoil Temple, Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, Koodal Azhagar Temple a list of temples and monuments that instill the beauty of the city.

Cool Heart aka Jigarthanda. The Flavour of Madurai

I came to know about Jigarthanda when I reached Madurai. It is a common drink among the people of Madurai. We saw many shops bearing the board of Jigarthanda. So, we decided to give it a shot and tried the drink. The basic ingredients of the drink include milk, almond gum, sarsaparilla root syrup, sugar, and ice-cream. It was cold and delicious. After having it whenever I saw a board bearing the name Jigarthanda my tongue craved for it.

Train over the Sea: - Rameswaram Express on Pamban Bridge

I can assure you, you won’t pass the Pamban Bridge without appreciating its beauty and applauding the engineering behind it. The journey from Madurai to Rameshwaram is something that will have a permanent place in your memory forever. The splashing of waves along with the rumbling of the train is music to our ears. All these joined by the astonishing color of sea attracts your eye, and

adrenaline will be rushing throughout your body. Overall the experience we had here was beyond words.

A Glimpse through the land of the missile man of India

From Madurai, we headed towards Rameshwaram, a place with multiple significance for both Tamil Nadu and India. It took approximately 3 hours in the train to reach Rameshwaram from Madurai. Situated at the tip of Indian Peninsula, it is the place where one of the most celebrated sons of India was born, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. More than just a surprise, one will be truly inspired to see the rise of a poor guy from such an environment reaching the culminant position of the country. I was fortunate enough to visit the house of A.P.J. in Rameswaram. It is now maintained as a museum and showcases a collection of photos which offers a glimpse into the life of the great man. The array of photos present before us the major events and achievements in the life of A.P.J.

I walked around the streets of Rameshwaram and I saw the life of common people there. Most people are engaged in either tourism or fishery. Rameshwaram is one of the holiest places in the country for Hindus. The stories are mainly connected with the Hindu epic Ramayana. Ramanathaswamy temple, situated at the center of the city, is a major pilgrimage center of the place. Pamban Island, Agni- thirtham, Adam’s Bridge are the other major attractions of Rameshwaram.

The lost land: - Dhanushkodi

Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town located on the tip of Pamban Island. The town was destroyed by a cyclone in the year 1964. Though it is an abandoned place, tourists are flooding into the place. It is a blessing in disguise. It made me think about the actions of God. The town showed us that even if you fall, you can rise and be stronger than ever. We saw the remains of the railway station, post office, and Church.

I got a chance to experience an off-road adventure at Dhanushkodi. The ride cannot be compared with the image that you get normally when you hear the word off-road. There were no hills or mountains to climb. The term road is an assumption here after all. Vans and trucks are available to take tourists to Dhanushkodi. They charged Rs.150 per person. At first, we felt it was a bit overpriced.

However, when the ride was finished, we felt that the price paid was worthy enough. It was an excellent experience to ride over the sea and sand. At times, my mind wandered to the people whose dreams and hopes were shattered during the cyclone of 1964. I had a feeling of grief.

If you are a seafood lover, you are going to love Dhanushkodi even more. You can grab fresh seafood from the vendors here. It is a prime source of income for the local people. Don’t think twice. Just Seize a piece of fried fish and its taste will never leave your tongue.

Finally, we were running out of time. So we had to cut short our journey with these stops. On the return, we got the same train that took us here. We arrived at Trivandrum around 7 am. Our experience at Madurai, Rameshwaram, and Dhanushkodi were truly inspiring and offered moments of peace and

blissfulness. Those who breed traveling as their close confidante and for all others, I can guarantee that these places won’t disappoint anyone.

Written by: - Joe Mathew Puthupallymattam

Photos: - Ashwin Kumar