Dhanushkodi - the ruined attraction on the Pamban Island in India

Bengaluru: Washed away by a major cyclone some 60 years ago, a town on the edge of the Indian territory in the Bay of Bengal has started to resurface on the map of India, thanks to its crumbling ruins.

Known as the ghost town of India, Dhanushkodi is a ruined small town on the Pamban Island, that was abandoned by its residents after a massive cyclone devastated the town in 1964.

Just 24 kilometres off the northern Sri Lankan coast, this picturesque locality has now become a major tourist hub not just for its scenic beauty and strategic location, but also satiating the curiosity of the explorers and backpackers. Equally popular with both the pilgrims as well as the travellers, the Pamban Island in general and Dhanushkodi in particular, offer the visitors a variety of fulfilments.

The ruins of Dhanushkodi let the travellers explore the unfamiliar and exotic, giving the explorers a sense of adventure and awe.

Besides sieving through the ruins and experiencing the raw force of the volatile Bay of Bengal, on a clear day the visitors can see the contours of northern Sri Lanka. Seeing one country from the edge of another country, not separated by barbed wires or physical partition, is indeed a rare experience.

Eerie existence

Holding both the mythological significance and curiosity quotient, the eerie remains of the once vibrant town reminds the travellers of the transient nature of life, while the resilience of the town’s survivors gives them hope of life flourishing amidst adversities.

1964 cyclone

For the survivors of the cyclone and their descendants, life has come in full circle.

Though, most residents of Dhanushkodi had abandoned the town in the wake of the 1964 cyclone, over a period of time, many have now returned.

Although the town offers no civic amenities, the residents are encouraged by the opportunities of livelihood that the town is now offering through booming tourism.

What they had considered lost and ruined, is now becoming a new source of income, offering them hope and whetting their aspirations.

As tourists throng the town, the natives find work, running food carts and snack stalls as well as working as guides. The fishermen of the town are also finding more takers, with fish being the most preferred food choice of most visitors.

One of the few survivors and among the handful of residents who never left the town is Muniyasamy.

A retired fisherman, Muniyasamy is now the star guide of the town, entertaining the visitors with his hybrid tales of struggle and survival.

“I was 16 when the killer cyclone hit Dhanushkodi and ruined this once bustling island. The memories of that fateful day are still vivid in my mind. The mountain-sized tidal waves swept away everything that was on its way. Very few people survived and I was one of them. I have been a great swimmer since childhood and I remember that there was water everywhere and I just kept swimming,” said Muniyasamy, recalling the events of December 21, 1964.

Past and present

After the calamity, the survivors were ordered to leave the island but some of them remained, including Muniyasmay’s family. They have continued to live in ramshackle huts without many facilities as they don’t have anywhere to go.

“This used to be a glorious town before the cyclone, with a thriving port. Compared to Dhanushkodi, Rameswaram (birthplace of former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam) was a small village. Dhanushkodi had several heritage buildings including a British-era railway station, a famous temple, a beautiful church and a big post office. All that remain now are ruins,” adds the father of five.

Once a decorated swimmer, breaking many local records, the septuagenarian has not ventured into the sea for the last 10 years.

“I come to the beach every morning and tell travellers the history of this place and they pay me whatever they can. It helps me survive in this old age and I guess, it is more than enough,” said the grand old man of Dhanushkodi.

Among those making the most of Dhanushkodi’s changing fortunes is a teenage entrepreneur who is using his underwater diving skills to find the aquatic treasures for intrigued tourists.

With a special knack for finding exotic seashells, which he sells to make some quick bucks, 13-year-old Muthuvale aims to give the visitors a better travel experience in Dhanushkodi.

“Every day after school, I come to the beach to collect the seashells and sell them to tourists. I make around Rs200 every day. I give some money to my mother and the rest I am saving to start a new business,” says the confident young man.

Son of a fisherman, Mathuvale dreams to give his parents a better life and help rebuild his hometown.

Already among the most visited places in Tamil Nadu, the ghost town now has the opportunity to exorcise the bitter memories of its past. This also gives explorers another exotic venue to whet their appetite for adventure.

If you enjoy backpacking and love to explore the weird and the wonderful, then Dhanushkodi must be part of your bucket list.

— Shafaat Shahbandari is a freelance journalist and founder-editor of Thousand Shades of India