Dhanushkodi beach: The mystical landscape

I always had a dream, about a place where time stood still, and where life was flawlessly beautiful. I've also felt that I would visit the place at some point. I guess I have finally found that place in Dhanushkodi.

Sunrise; a revelation

Sitting in an island off the Indian coast, this tiny strip of land is surrounded by water. The calm Indian ocean overlooks it from the east, while the Bay of Bengal batters it from the west. Sun is ever-present and shining and the heat is intense as it is close to the equator.

The calm Indian Ocean

TNSTC bus that takes you all the way to the Rama Sethu Point, the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean

All said, the beauty of the place is unmatched. The beaches are filled with pristine white sand and contrast the calm Indian Ocean magnificently. The sunrise here was a piece of art on the day we visited the place. Clouds put on quite a show in the sky that kept us watching in awe.

A heart-melting sunrise

As the sun settled into its comfortable overhead position, we had to find shade beneath the endless rows of pine trees lining up the shore. This shade and the mild song of the ocean were the perfect ingredients for a beautiful daydream, just like the one I had a long time ago.

Years of  fallen leaves make a natural bed near the ocean

The dancing trees

You can lie in the beautiful bed made of fallen leaves which makes a great cushion. Just look up and you can see the trees dancing gently to the rhythm of the slow breeze that never ceases. Sometimes I felt like I was watching them speak to each other in a language only they could understand.

A place where I find ultimate peace whenever I visit

Is there a better place to get lost in your book?

Then there are the birds that sing the sweetest melodies even on the sunniest of days. They were circling way up in the crisp blue skies, only to make occasional detours to the land when they spotted a fish or two. They are another of the real members of this peaceful community.

Talking about the real community, you have to respect the will of the fisherfolk that lives here. These men leave their thatched-roof homes in the wee hours of the morning. They sail deep into the ocean and set up their nets and start the waiting game. When the sun is about half way up, they return with the catch of the day. Then it is time for them to analyze the day's work by picking out the fish. The family joins in on the act. The kids get their very first lessons of fishing right here. By this time, the most common breakfast of idly and sambhar would be ready. We were humbled when they insisted us to have our share. The light in their eyes was as bright as the sun above us. A few kids came running as we ventured into their hood. To our surprise, all they asked us was pens. Pens, so that they could write. Apparently, they were craving for it. We gave them whatever we had and their faces lit up. They gifted us a beautiful conch shell. It was something that totally got us into thinking about the things that we really valued these days.

Angler checking his morning catches

The souls who live here face some of the harshest conditions throughout the year

The dusk put on a quaint show of colors. The wind got stronger, spraying sand on to our faces. The eeriness of the place was complete when darkness spread its blanket over the place.

The windy dusk painted a picture of darkness

The night was a whole different story. A walk through the white sands at night is like walking through a dreamland. Whatever light remained in the place illuminated the white sands, making them appear like clouds.
It felt like a dream and when you walk, the softness cuddles you and makes you feel like you're walking on clouds.

You will believe that you are in heaven, walking over castles of clouds, nearing a shoreline, where blue waves come crashing, breaking the silence of the dark night. Stars silently spread their vast canvas above us completing the lyrics of a melody of beauty.


Sitting down on the shore in the darkness, I witnessed a true miracle. As the waves kissed the shore, gracefully breaking the silence of the night, we saw hundreds of tiny blue lights being washed on to the beach. They were glowing like little bulbs. They swirled with the waves and glowed beautifully as we dipped our feet in the water. It was the bioluminescent algae, letting us know that Nature is pure magic. Blessed are we, to have witnessed this spectacle with our eyes. It was the perfect end to another journey to the sacred land of Dhanushkodi.

The road that leads to Kothandaramar temple

An oasis?