Before Pambhan bridge was built by the British the only way to reach Pambhan island where Rameswaram temple was situated from mainland called Mandapam was by steam boat .
The British not only built a bridge they built and brought the Railways into Rameswaram and into Dhanuskodi initially meter gauge .
We need to accept their ingenuity of building bridges into sea to far off islands .
It lasted too much after they left and regular trains like Boat mail express was running between Madras Egmore and Dhanuskodi .
It was in December 24th 1964 that a massive cyclone washed away the Dhanuskodi bridge and a passenger train on it at that moment was washed away with 150 killed .
Dhanuskodi island lost 1800 and was submerged by sea only a straight islet surviving .
The whole town with railway station medical college hospitals shops houses and ferry to Sri Lanka was washed away and became a ghost town .
The Railways rebuit the bridge in just 45 days a phenomenal feat by Sri E,Sreedharan
In 2004 during Tsunami when initially sea receded the submerged town would be seen before the huge waves covered it again .
It was only in 2016 a road has been built upto end of Dhanuskodi and today its a tourist spot .
Rameswaram temple itself is in Pambhan island
It all starts with Hindu epic Ramayana .
Lord Rama is banished to forest by his father for 14 years because he was helpless in front of a promise of three boons to his wily third wife who wanted her son to be anointed as king .
Rama happily abides by his father and is joined by his newly married wife Sita who insists on joining him for the penance .
His faithful brother Lakshmana too insists he would come with them to protect them .
They live in forest for several years .
Lanka present Sri lanka is ruled by Ravanna a fierce king a great warrior and also a devoted Siva bhakth .
He has a weakness for good things in life and hears of Sitas beauty and abducts her to bring her to Lanka .
Sita refuses to cow down to his wishes and is made a prisoner in palace gardens .
Ram amd Lakshman come to South searching for her and come to know the truth .
Hanuman a monkey warrior confirms her presence and Ram declares war against Ravana .
Hes supposed to have connected the small gap between Dhanuakodi and Talai mannar around 40 km by piling stones with help of a huge monkey army .
The ram sethu bridge also called as Adams bridge is called as a myth by some but they say upto 15 th century people used to cross over the submerged stones .
Even now Space pictures do show a continuity where bridge existed .
Vibishana Ravannas brother advises him to return Sita to her husband and warns him of grievous consequences Ravanna gets angry with his brother .
Vibishsna manages to travel to other side and meets Rama .
Though some accuse him as Ravannas spy Rama understands he is genuine.
He tells Vibishana that once Ravanna is vanquished Vibishana should rule lanka .
In fact he even coronates him there .
True to his word Rama defeats and kills Ravana and Vibishana is anointed as king
Rama returns to India with Sita and as advised by sages builds a Siva temple in Pambhan to absolve his sin of killing Ravana .
He asks Hanuman to get Siva linga from Kailas .
Hanuman takes some time in meditation in Kailas praying to Siva for the linga .
Meanwhile Rama uses the sand linga made by Sita for temple as Hanuman was not returning in time .
Hanuman gets two lingas but is upset that temple is made already
Rama pacifies him and consecrates his linga too .
All these are depicted in paintings in Godandasami temple in Dhanuskodi where we went and explained by the priest .
Rameswaram temple itself is huge with four towers .
It has geometrically perfect thousand pillared halls snd huge rocky halls .
No photography is permitted inside temple .
There are also 22 wells or thirthams and many pilgrims take bath in each though these days each well has attendants with buckets who pour its water as one moves to next well in slip free tiled neat paths .
I opted only for sprinkle instead of head dousing .
Rameswaram is known for rites connected with dead family members and tgey say a visit to Kashi is full only after a visit to Rameswaram .
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