Ram Sethu becomes a tourist's attraction
Rameswaram (TN), Sept. 30 (PTI): 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 rech Dhanushkodi from here as road connectivity had lost in the 1964 cyclone. From there they will hire country crafts to reach the sand dunes.
Eversince the 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 eary 19th century people used to go upto Ram Sethu to perform rites for their forefathers. The practice was stopped and pilgrims offered pooja 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.
'The visitors do not mind spending money, but they want to see what they think is more than 17,000 year old structure', another hotelier said.
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.
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