During the 1900s, you could do some shopping at T.Nagar, Chennai followed by dinner before taking a single ticket to Sri Lanka. There was a boat mail service operated from Madras, which could be reused as a ferry ticket at Dhanushkodi, to reach Thalai Mannar in Sri Lanka.

The train started from Chennai and passed through Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Manamadurai, Ramanadhapuram to reach Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. In British times, this was called the boat mail. The railway line was called the main line. A chord line connecting Tiruchirappalli and Villupuram at a short distance was not built then.

Dhanushkodi was the emigration/immigration point. There were a couple of health centers, RC church, a railway station, police station and customs office etc. It was inhabited by traders and fishermen. Following 20 to 25 hours of travel, you will get off the train before getting on steam boats to take you to Sri Lanka, which is 35 kilometers away.

Many of us will remember the tsunami of 26th Dec 2004. Before 40 years, there was another unfortunate incident. The sea was extremely rough due to the devastating cyclone. Passenger train 653 – running between Pamban and Dhanushkodi – was on the track waiting for a signal to reach Dhanushkodi station. The station is already under water due to harsh tides. Train staff were standing on top of a water tank and looking at the passenger train helplessly.

The locomotive pilot had no other choice but to proceed. It was then that another massive wave hit the passenger train, which swallowed the whole train with 6 bogies. The train was completely submerged, except for a glimpse of the locomotive stretching above the water for a few inches.

Dhanushkodi was completely swept by the cyclone. India did not try to recreate the town. It has not yet been inhabited. The boat mail was running between Chennai and Rameswaram now. As a result of the Tamil-Sinhala war in the 1980s, the ferry service was halted. The water connection between eastern Tamil Nadu and Tamil land in Sri Lanka was cut off.

Those who stay in Rameswaram, if they want to travel to northern Sri Lanka now (which is located 35 kilometers away geographically), they should come to Chennai first by train for 12 hours; they need to take a flight to Colombo; they need to travel by bus back to Mannar.

Somebody wants to promote Ram Setu, while others want to destroy it. These are purely political. Let’s not get into it. But let’s look at it from a global perspective. Can two countries that are geographically and culturally close not be connected by land or water?

China has opened its borders to its nearby islands Hong Kong and Macau, following the Covid-19 pandemic. Irrespective of political tensions, Taiwan and mainland China are culturally and commercially connected.

Singapore gained independence from the British and was connected to Malaysia for a few years. Later it became an independent country. Both countries have high connectivity on all fronts.

I wrote about Jersey in the past V for Victory – war & love in Jersey.

Eurostar trains run at high speeds through the tunnel connecting France and London.

Because connectivity between any two countries gives immense benefit to both.

1. Improved trade: Customs can be setup on both ends. Goods can be transported efficiently. The more efficient the movement of goods, the greater the benefits for society as a whole. Universities on both sides can accept students from each other. Cricket grounds can be increased. Mannar on the Sri Lankan side and Madurai on the Indian side will see improved trade opportunities.
2. Exchange of cultural ideas: India and the world have not succeeded in getting enough rights for ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. They had had enough of corruption and bloodshed already. Tamils inhabit the northern part of Sri Lanka, which is relatively poor. Land and water connectivity will bring them out of poverty. As well as that, brides and grooms need each other on both sides!
3. A boost in tourism: Indian tourists are among the highest in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans visit Chennai and Trichy in large numbers. A land/water connection will reduce travel costs. It would improve connectivity. There was a time where Sri Lankan Tamils used to come to Ramnad to watch a movie and go back.
4. Security: Smuggling and human trafficking are disguised in the name of fishing. It is underplayed by politics. A land bridge and waterway would improve security and reduce illegal activities.

A land bridge is not meant to be easy financially. That too in an ecologically unstable region like Dhanushkodi. There have been talks about a tunnel between the two countries. It requires substantial funding from international players. Both sides show a lack of interest. Do Indian foreign officials have an interest in this? Are the Sinhalese opposed to this? We do not know. This will benefit the country for centuries to come, so it should happen.

It was the path built by Hanuman Sena for Rama. I hope someone realizes it someday.

This post is part of Blogchatter’s WRITE A PAGE A DAY 2023 campaign