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Kodiakarai lies at the southern end of Nagapattinam district. It was
initially named as Kodikarai. Kodiakkarai is also called Point
Calimere which sits at the edge of the Palk Strait. It is bounded by
Bay of Bengal on the East and Palk Straits on the South. The
coastline is punctuated by fishermen's hovels.
There is a Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary here, which includes the cape
and its three natural habitat types: dry evergreen forests, Mangrove
forests, and wetlands. The forests of Point Calimere are also known
the Vedaranyam forests.
Kodiakarai is bestowed with population of varied wild life such as
Chital, Wild boar, Bonnet macaque, Black Buck, Flamingoes, Teals,
Gulls, Terns, Plavers and Stilts. Special attractions here is the
close encounters with Dolphins and Turtles which often come quite
close to the shore.
Point Calimere is also associated with the Hindu epic Ramayana. The
highest point of the cape is called Ramarpatham, meaning, "Rama’s
feet" in Tamil. A stone slab which bears the impressions of two
feet, and is presumed to be the place where Lord Rama stood and
reconnoitered Ravana’s kingdom in Sri Lanka, which lies 48 km. to
the south.
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