Rameshwaram

Rameshwaram

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Rameshwaram island was better known by the name “Gandhamadhanam” before the arrival of Lord Rama. It is also believed that in those days, there already existed a temple of Lord Shiva. Rameshwaram was regarded as one of the important trading harbors for during the period of Chola and Pandya Kingdom for exporting conches (mostly the right hand conch) and pearls (black, brown, white) to countries like Rome, Egypt, China, Sumeria, Arabia, etc. The renovation and reconstruction process of the Ramanathaswamy temple was started in 1414 CE by Udaiyaan Sethupathi and Pararajasekara Aryasakravarthy, a Srilankan (Tamil) King. The granite stones were used to obtain from a Srilankan mountain Thirkonamalai and other various mountains and were transported to Rameshwaram via the water route. In the year 1904, the granite stones were obtained from Ambasamudram situated in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, which were transported to Thuthukudi via bullock carts, and from there they were shipped to Rameswaram through sailing ships “RAMANATHAR-PARVATHAVARTHINI”. The British Government released a stamp with the picture of the Rameshwaram Temple in the year 1935.

Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge

Claimed to be the first sea bridge in India, Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge or Pamban Bridge is a cantilever bridge on Palk Strait that connects Rameshwaram Island with the mainland India. Initially, the name used to refer the rail route only which has a double leaf bascule section midway. This double leaf bascule functions well till date and it can be raised to let ships go.

The bi-lane road passing next to this bridge is another attraction in Pamban and obviously allows you to have a glimpse of the railway bridge if you are driving over the bridge. This 100 years old bridge contains 143 pillars, each of which is 220 feet in length and 100 tonnes in weight

Ramanathaswamy Temple

One of the twelve Jyotirlinga Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple of Ramanathaswamy is an architectural excellence built in the 17th century. A must visit pilgrimage for both the Vaishnavite as well as the Shaiva sect of Hinduism the temple constitutes a major part of the popular spiritual tourism destinations in India.

The actual temple is believed to have been built by Lord Rama himself and thus it has gained an esteemed position in Indian mythological reference. Today’s Ramanathaswamy Temple houses the longest temple corridor in the world, which is 197 meters long and 133 meters broad and stands with 1200 massive granite columns.

Thiruvalluvar

Highly revered by the Hindus, the temple of Five Faced Hanuman is only 2 km from the Ramanathaswamy Temple. It is believed that Hanumana revealed his five-faced form for the first time in this place. The statue of Lord Hanuman is smeared with sindoor and worshipped with utmost devotion. The temple here enshrines the statues of Rama, Laxman and Sita. There is a floating stone in the temple which is believed to have been used during Sethu Bandhanam as mentioned in the Ramayana.

Gandhamadhana Parvatam

Remember the mountain mentioned in the Ramayana from where Hanuman was about to fetch the medicinal herbs to save Laxman. Yes! It is Gandhamadana Parvatham which was carried by Lord Hanuman on his shoulders. This utterly pious and quaint religious spot is 3 km away from the centre of the town. A double storied temple of Lord Rama houses the imprints of his feet on a chakra. It is also considered to be the highest point in Rameshwaram, so you can have a birds’ eye view of the whole island from the peak.

Jada Tirtham

Around 3.5km from Ramanathaswamy Temple, on the way to Dhanushkodi Village, Jada Tirtham is known among the Hindu devotees for the sacred pond. It is believed that when Rama was about to worship Shiva Lingam in Rameshwaram after killing Ravana, he washed his Jata (matted hair) in Jada Tirtham. There is a temple next to the pond of Jada Tirtham. Jada Tirtham is believed to be the only place in India where Lord Kapardisvara is worshipped.

Jatayu Tirtham Temple

The very name of the temple is enough to tell you about the significance of this shrine. It is a memorial sort of construction which was built in memory of the great loyal eagle of Ramayana called Jatayu who informed Rama about Ravana’s misdeeds and abduction of Sita. He sacrificed his life while fighting with Ravana to save Sita.

The architecture of this memorial resembles Hindu shrines of central India, which is why many refer to it as Gandhi Mandapam. The building's central part is 79 feet high, which is symbolic of Mahatma Gandhi's age. A unique fact about this memorial is that it is constructed in such a manner that on the day of Gandhi's birthday (2nd October), the sunrays pass through a hole and fall exactly on the point, where his Apart from these major attractions, Rameshwaram encloses several lesser known destinations that you can add to your day outing list. Attractions like Saatchi Hanuman Temple, Agnitheertham are not to be missed as they are considered highly pious in Rameshwaram.

Lakshmana Tirtham

A sacred pond dug near the temple of Laxmana, Lakshmana Tirtham is a divine place close to Ramanathswamy Temple. The temple of Laxmana contains several instances of Ramayana engraved on its walls. People coming to the temple for a visit often go for taking a dip in this pond.

Thiruppullani Temple

Located at a distance of around 12km from Ramanathapuram, Thiruppullani is a small village known for the temple of Adi Jaganntha. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram that stands facing east. The temple enshrines the idol of Lord Vishnu along with Sri Devi and Bhudevi. There is a separate shrine close to this temple, where the consort of (Adi Jagannath) Lord Vishnu, Padmasini Devi is worshipped. Another temple enshrined the statue of Lord Dharbasayana Ramar in a reclining posture.

Adam’s Bridge

Adam’s Bridge or Rama Setu is a debatable historic bridge that connects Rameshwaram island of India to the north-western coast of Sri Lanka. It is a chain of limestone shoals starts from Dhanushkodi tip of India’s Pamban Island. Pamban Island is connected to mainland India by a 2 km long bridge.

Ariyaman Beach

An ideal place to spend a relaxing evening with your friends or family, Ariyaman Beach is located in Ramanathapuram District. It is a 150 m wide beach stretching to a length of 2 km. Tourists can enjoy boating in this beach or get involved in different water based sports like wind surfing or water scooter ride. The beach has a children’s park, an aquarium and a museum as well. Parasailing is an exciting activity one can enjoy here. If you have a free weekend, plan a picnic party along the beach side where arrays of Casuarina trees work for perfect shading.

Dhanushkodi Beach

Dhanushkodi or вЂ˜end of the bow’ is a small town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu. Lined with shallow beaches, historical remnants and vast horizons of azure sea, this South Indian tourist spot is a must-see in Rameshwaram. Today’s Dhanushkodi Temple is nothing but a ruin of the temple described in different versions of the Ramayana. In case you are curious enough to discover the plot of Ram Sethu, do not forget to explore Dhanushkodi.