A ghost town, Dhanushkodi in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, is the last motorable road in South India that has a unique charm.
The year 1964 will always remain the defining timeline for the people of Dhanushkodi. In December that year, a severe cyclone hit the town, submerging it completely, and the town was never rebuilt.
Driving from Rameshwaram to Dhanushkodi must be one of the most scenic road trips in India, as it is flanked by the Indian Ocean on both sides. The rugged landscape adds a surreal feel to the drive, and the sparse vegetation that plays hide and seek with the blue waves behind adds to the thrill.
Arriving in the town, one of the first ruins you will see here is of the railway station. The 1964 cyclone had also caused the Pamban-Dhanushkodi passenger train to overturn into the sea. The three concrete structures that rise above the ground stand as a mute witness to the incident. There is also vegetation that covers the land here, and if you look carefully, you will see a few more ruins of buildings – probably the offices of the railway station.
Read the full story that first appeared in The New Indian Express dated April 12, 2026 here:
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