09-30-2007, 08:58 PM
<b>Ram Setu becomes tourist attraction </b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->âIn the early 19th century people used to go up to Ram Setu 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 also owns a fishing boat.
âThe visitors do not mind spending money, but they want to see what they think is more than 17,000 year old structure,â another hotelier said.
Ram Setu 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 has 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.
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âThe visitors do not mind spending money, but they want to see what they think is more than 17,000 year old structure,â another hotelier said.
Ram Setu 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 has 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.
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