An island off the mainland surrounded by Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar connected by the longest ever constructed^ bridge on sea in India. It is a pilgrim centre. According to the Hindu tradition Sri Rama, the hero of the epic, Ramayanam, worshipped Lord Siva here before invading Lanka to redeem his wife Sita from the clutches of Ravana. It is from here that Sri Rama is said to have constructed the mythological bridge to Sri Lanka. The serene beach and shallow water here are ideal for swimming and sunbathing.