Pamban bridge is an engineering marvel that evokes awe! Few can forget a train journey on the Pamban bridge, connecting Rameswaram island to the mainland. That’s on my bucket list !With 143 piers, spanning 2 km between the mainland and the island, it is the second longest sea bridge in India after the 2.3-km Bandra-Worli sea link on Mumbai’s western coast.
It turned 100 years old in 2014 & is still standing tall in the corrosive turbulent salty Indian Ocean since 103 years after being commissioned by the British in 1914. Our motorcycles started getting rusted in couple of hours after entering Rameshwaram and riding at Dhanushkodi , just imagine how strong is this bridge and how well it is being maintained by the third generation railway maintainance team that saw the 1964 cyclone that flattened the thriving port town . E Sreedharan, the man behind the construction of the Delhi Metro, played a major role in bolstering the bridge within 46 days after it was destroyed .
Hats off to the strength and stability of Pamban rail bridge against corrosion & high velocity Ocean winds . It opens up in the centre to allow big ships and barges occasionally (similar to the London bridge), hence providing sea connectivity for big goods trollers to the island of Rameshwaram .
I met few people on The annai Indira Gandhi road bridge whenever I rode and reached this spot to view Pamban rail bridge . One was this man a humble old man , a fruit seller & the other was ex- CM of Goa : Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar & his family .
This old man sells fresh cut fruits on the Annai Indira Gandhi bridge , constructed in 2007 parallel to Pamban Bridge . I bought some raw mangoes and pineapples from him and he started telling me the story of Dhanushkodi which had the railway laid by the British in 1914 till the end of the island . Unfortunately the 1964 cyclone led to the destruction of the Dhanushkodi town which is nothing but ruins now . The railway station , the church , the market , the thriving colony everything was washed out in one shot . This man was just 14years old that time . I asked him how old was he now ? He said the Pamban bridge is 103 years old and I am 67 and we both survived the 1964 cyclone 🙂. I heard this story eating the raw mangoes with chat masala . And the last mango was too sour to end the treat with . He took that sour slice and replaced with a sweet one and said “thank you , Khush Raho(stay happy)” . He wished me a safe journey back to Mumbai .
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After visiting Dhanushkodi on our motorcycles with the rest of our group, looking at the setting sun , me and my fellow rider nikita got tempted to go visit Pamban bridge once again . We were like magnets being pulled towards this iron marvel . So we rushed on our bullets with the virtue of seeing the sunset on Pamban bridge . To our surprise we saw the Train passing over the Pamban bridge as we rode on the Annai Indira Gandhi road bridge running parallel to it . We raced hard with the Train and stopped on the opposite side and ran like small kids to see the Train and click pictures . It was such a beautiful scenario that we witnessed & most importantly I had always imagined myself seeing the Train passing on Pamban and spotting the Brahmy kite on it too (which happened earlier that day in the noon) . I saw what I had always visualised .
After savouring this event and quenching my thirst of capturing the Pamban bridge with the Train on it , I overheard someone talking in Marathi around me . Marathi ! In Tamilnadu ! Over the bridge on the Indian Ocean ? I asked the lady walking towards us ,” MAHARASHTRA ?” She smiled and said yes . After introducing ourselves the lady told us that the man who was her brother in law was former Goa CM , Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar . The next 40 mins we all had a good chat about our professions , nature , south India , women empowerment , marine flora fauna , scuba diving and snorkelling , Goa and my mother tongue Konkani , Bhagwad Gita , etc . Etc. Since I have my roots in Goa , I had a wonderful conversation in Konkani with him , his wife , daughter , sister in law ( a Sanskrit professor in s college in Khed) and his niece (a marine scientist in Rameshwaram ) . Mr.Parshekar is a humble man and I never ever thought even in my dreams that I would bump into the minister in Tamil Nadu , not even in my native Goa . Funny !
But something’s are meant to happen and the universe surprises us with its games . And I love surprises ! Pamban bridge , the sunset , the Train , the turquoise Indian Ocean with my beloved Bullet bijli , meeting beautiful souls : perfect Coincidence !
I always say a big thank you to the universe for whatever movie it’s showing me in real life and I move forward with wide open arms saying ” Bring it on”.
A nomadic Dentist on a Royal Enfield 