Dhanushkodi is on the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu. It is 24 kilometres west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka, separated by the ocean.
Despite being an abandoned town, it is a land of promise for many Sri Lankan refugees. From Dhanushkodi, they reach Mandapam town in Ramanathapuram district where they will settle.
They make their way into the camp where a new life awaits. They find jobs in Ramanathapuram or venture into other parts of Tamil Nadu.
The camp in Mandapam has been a safe haven for many Sri Lankans who escaped to India since 2005 - their only hope after fleeing a war-torn nation. This camp was originally set up by the Sri Lankan government in 1917. It was a quarantine camp for labourers from different parts of Tamil Nadu, who were being taken by the British government to work in tea estates in Sri Lanka.
