Danushkodi - the southern tip of India

Danushkodi is a small coastal village in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea. Danushkodi is known for its scenic beauty, serene beaches, and historical significance. It was devastated by a cyclone in 1964, which killed thousands of people and destroyed most of the village. Today, Danushkodi is a popular tourist destination and attracts visitors from around the world who come to enjoy its natural beauty and learn about its history.

Danushkodi is a town located at the southern tip of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, near the border with Sri Lanka. Danushkodi was once a bustling town with a railway station, a post office, and several homes and businesses. However, the town was devastated by a cyclone in 1964, which killed thousands of people and destroyed most of the buildings. Today, Danushkodi is mostly abandoned, and the ruins of the old town can still be seen, attracting some tourists who are interested in its history and natural beauty. Danushkodi is also known for its proximity to Adam's Bridge, a chain of sandbars and islands connecting India and Sri Lanka, which is considered a geological and ecological wonder.

Danushkodi is a town located on the southeastern coast of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated on the eastern side of the Pamban Island, which is connected to the Indian mainland by the Pamban Bridge. Danushkodi is known for its beautiful beaches, which attract tourists from around the world.

Danushkodi was once a thriving town with a railway station, a post office, and several businesses. However, it was devastated by a cyclone in 1964, which led to the collapse of many buildings and the loss of several lives. The town was subsequently declared a ghost town, and it has not been fully rebuilt since the cyclone. Today, the ruins of the old town and the nearby beach are popular tourist attractions.

1964 Rameswaram Cyclone

If you want to know about this place, then you should know about the Life Changing Rameswaram cyclone which is also known as Dhanushkodi Cyclone. On December 15, 1964, a low pressure was spotted near the Andaman Sea, which later formed into a cyclone on December 18, 1964, and lashed on the Bay of Bengal surrounding areas. As time passed, the low depression cyclone turned into a massive cyclone and moved close to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) with 280 km/h wind speed and 10 meter high tides devastating all the things in its way.

Later on, this Cyclone moved along the Palk Strait area and hit the Dhanushkodi town around midnight of December 23 without any alarm and swept down the entire town into the water. This cyclone killed around 1800 people in both Dhanuskodi and Sri Lanka and 150 million worth property was damaged. It is estimated that 800 people alone killed in the Dhanushkodi town along with 115 train passengers (110 travelers and 5 Train Employees).

This cyclone left this town with just remnants of some buildings like port office, railway station, a school, a Church and an unaffected Ancient temple in this town.

Geographically, Dhanushkodi lies in the South East side of Pambam Island and also lies in the Palk Strait region of the sea. On one side you will see the Bay Of Bengal Sea and another side Indian Ocean.

From here Sri Lanka is just 30 KM. People who visit Dhanuskodi could receive mobile signals of Sri Lankan operators.

Myths around Dhanushkodi

According to the epic Ramayana, this is the place where the God Rama ordered his Vanara army in guide of Lord Hanuman to build the Bridge to Sri Lanka in order to rescue his consort Sita from Demon king Ravana’s captive.

And the bridge is known as Rama Setu or globally known as Adam’s bridge which is still there submerged into the sea and partly visible from Dhanushkodi sea shore.

Another myth about this place is, that after victory over the Ranava, Lord Rama with his wife and army returned to this place. As per the request from Vibishna, Lord Rama broke the bridge with the one end of his bow.

That’s why this place got its name as ‘Dhanushkodi’, where Dhanush means Bow and Kodi means End.

Best Time to Visit Dhanushkodi - The best time to visit Dhanushkodi Beach will be during the winter season as there will moderate rain and sunlight to enjoy the view. And also summer is also a best to visit this place. Though summers can be very hot, you can enjoy the beach in the morning and early evening times. Visiting this beach during Monsoons can be dangerous and so it is not recommendable.