Dhanushkodi Theertham, Rameshwaram
Dhanushkodi
Theertham is one of the Theerthams in the island of Rameswaram, Tamilnadu, India. This is located beside the ghost town of Dhanushkodi at the easternmost tip of Rameswaram Island. Rama
used his bow's (Dhanush) end (Kodi) to break the bridge - Adam's
Bridge (hence the name).
This bridge was used for his army to cross over to Lanka for the victorious war
against Ravana. It is located at a distance of 18 km from Rameswaram
Temple.
Legends
After
Ravana was killed, Lord Ramachandra along with his army returned to Rameswaram.
At that time Vibhishana approached Lord Ramachandra and requested him that
“this beautiful Sethu (bridge) which we have built is so good, but it gives
easy access to Lanka and in future some demoniac kings may attack Lanka or some
Rakshasha may come over and cause disruption here. So please break this bridge”.
So upon the request of Vibhishana, Lord Ramachandra took his bow and with one
end of the bow he cut the bridge into three parts and the bridge were
destroyed. The two oceans (Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean) which were separated
by the bridge, merged together.
Sri Ramachandra
called for all the holy waters and tirthams of the entire universe to enter
universe to enter into Dhanushkodi Thirtham. All the heavenly tirthams
personified came there and filled up the sea where the bridge was broken. The
place is so beautiful that Lord Ramachandra and Sita Devi bathed here. Lord
Rama said, “Anyone who comes here will be liberated from material bondage and we
will shower our mercy on them.”
History
Sri Chaitanya
Caritamrta Madhya Lila Chapter 9 verse 199 mentions that Lord Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu came to Dhanushkodi Thirtham during his South India tour and took
bathe here.
In 1964
this place was struck by a cyclone and was completely washed away by. Now days,
Dhanushkodi is a strip of land about 1 km wide and 18 km long on the eastern
end of Rameswaram island. On one side are the waters of the Indian Ocean and on
the other the waters of the Bay of Bengal. The two seas otherwise known as
Ratnakaran and Mahodadhi with their confluence is shaped like a bow while the
strip of land resembles an arrow poised for release.
It is a
place where the rough water of Indian Ocean and the calm sea of Bay of Bengal
confluence together. Before 1964 this was a flourishing place with Railway
station called Ramnad (last station on Southern Railway), hospital and port for
many ferry services between Dhanushkodi and Talai Mannar in Sri Lanka. Currently
mute evidences remain in this place.
Dhanushkodi
is about 18 miles West of Talai Mannar in Jaffna, Ceylon. Before 1964 storm
there was a train service up to Dhanushkodi called Boat Mail from Chennai
Egmore station. The train linked a steamer to Ceylon. During the 1964 storm a
huge wave of about 20 feet came crashing on the town from Palk Bay/Strait east
of the town and destroyed the whole town, a train, the Pamban Rail Bridge etc.
Dhanushkodi
has the only land border between India and Ceylon which is one of the smallest
in the world just 50 yards in length on a sand dune in Palk Strait. Buses from
the local bus stand on East Car Street stop about 4km before the beach.
Faith
& Beliefs
The
month of Maasi (Kumbha) (Feb-Mar) is the most auspicious bathing period. Other
auspicious days include Arthodayam, Mahodayam, and days of solar & lunar
eclipses.
References
in Literature
References
to this Tirtha are made in Sethu Puranam.
