The derelict pier and weathered lighthouse at the island's western tip, once the ferry gateway to India across the Palk Strait.

Overview

At the far western end of Mannar Island, Talaimannar's ruined pier reaches out into the shallow sea where boats once ferried passengers to India, watched over by a lonely lighthouse among the palms. The broken jetty, empty beaches and wide horizon toward Rameswaram give the spot a haunting, end-of-the-road atmosphere. It is a quiet place to watch the sunset and imagine the crowds of pilgrims and migrants who once passed through this vanished crossing.

History

Talaimannar was the terminus of the boat train from Colombo and the port for the ferry to Dhanushkodi and Rameswaram in southern India, a busy link until the service was halted in 1984 during the civil war. The pier and its rail connection fell derelict in the conflict years; the railway has since been rebuilt to Talaimannar Pier, though the sea ferry to India has never resumed.