RAMESHWARAM, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, September 30, 2007: With Ram Sethu (Adam’s Bridge) issue in the eye of a political storm, the 48-km bridge has become a tourist attraction and a must see destination for those who coming to the island. Visitors engage four wheelers to reach Dhanushkodi from here as road connectivity was lost in the 1964 cyclone. From there they will hire country crafts to reach the sand dunes. Ever since NASA came out with the picture of Ram Sethu, pilgrims and tourists who visit this island are eager to see the Sethu. But after protests over the Sethu Samudram cannal project, it has become very popular.
“In the early 19th century people used to go up to Ram Sethu to perform rites for their forefathers. The practice was stopped and pilgrims offered puja at Dhanushkodi or Arichalmunai, the confluence of Indian Ocean (Gulf of Mannar) and Bay of Bengal (Palk strait). Now pilgrims are eager to see the bridge, believed to be constructed by Lord Ram, said Athi, a hotelier here, who is also owns a fishing boat.
Ram Sethu had been used by people of Ramanathapuram district and Sri Lanka to cross the sea till 15th century. But as the sea level increased, a part of it had become deeper and people could not cross. Following increase in the number of tourists and pilgrims the jeep fare from here to Dhanushkodi had increased from Rs 700 to Rs 1000 for a trip, Krishna Gupta, a visitor to the Dhanushkodi said. He also wanted the government to regulate the jeep operation to Dhanushkodi. Though there was a ban to visit Rama Sethu following the dredging work for the project and movement of refugees from Sri Lanka, officials were not strict now.