Onward to Kanyakumari…….
We left Rameswaram a day earlier on the 03rd August 2018, after our invigorating walk through the baths.
No reflection on the Airbnb Silver Sands, we just wanted to have an extra day at Kanyakumari.
Our reflections on Rameswaram, I have been pleasantly surprised at the increased awareness of civic hygiene (considering the flood of religious tourists most of them who appeared to be from the populous Northern regions), the standards of cleanliness have vastly improved, from my impressions of the time I lived in TN in the late nineties.
I felt that the Rameswaram temple administration could benefit by doing a SWOT analysis regarding the planning for such a huge amount of pilgrims & tourists, some of whom are probably travelling out of their state/town for the first time.
The first and most cost effective means could be painting the floor with arrows, that the pilgrim, can follow without aimlessly wandering in the corridors trying to figure out where to go next.
The corridor width could also be defined by dotted lines, this is most essential as Indians have a tendency to congregate even while walking and create pockets of high decibel bottlenecks.
We seriously missed not having a guide to help us during the visit to show and explain specific architectural features or time lines, and any historical anecdotes connected to any part or feature. At temple entry we should be able to book a temple certified guide at a fixed price to help us navigate through the temple. We believe an audio guide was available but had no idea where to go and rent it.
The changing spaces after visiting the baths can be improved – pay and use booths can be provided for those who wish better privacy.
Special walking tours of the temple with trained and knowledgeable guides should be arranged for the interested.
The Rameswaram temple is a monument worth visiting and with good PR and management it could work wonders to improve/increase the tourist interest and this could be a good means for further improving the local economy.
I have nothing against Tamil, and appreciate the pride the Tamilians exhibit about their language but bilingual road signs in Tamil and English would have made our life easier and less dependent on “Google” aunty.
and now onward to Kanyakumari …………………..
Walkabout with Anil 