Location: Island of
Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Tourist Attractions: The Ramanatha Swamy temple,
Ramjharokha temple, Gandamadana Parvatham, Kothandaramswamy temple,
Dhanushkodi bath, Teerthas, Sri Anjaneya temple.
Best Buys : Souvenirs
Best Hangout : The Rameshwaram sea front.
Festivals : Masi Sivarathiri, Thirukalyanam, Mahalaya
Amavasai and Thai Amavasai.
Nearby Tourist Destinations: Tirupullani,
Uthirakosamangai, Sethu, Kanyakumari, Madurai. Rameshwaram is also the
closest Indian destination from Sri Lanka.
When to Visit : October to March
About Rameshwaram
Rameswaram, also known as the Varanasi of the south, is a major pilgrimage
center for both Shaivites and Vaishnavaites as Lord Rama ( an incarnation of
Vishnu in the Indian epic the Ramayana ) offered thanks to Siva at
Rameshwaram. The center of the town is the Ramanathaswamy Temple, one of the
most important temples in southern India.
The town of Rameswaram is on an island in the Gulf of Manner and is
connected to the mainland at
Mandapam
by rail. It is also connected by one of India's engineering wonders, the
Indira Gandhi Bridge. It took 14 years to build and was opened by Rajiv
Gandhi late in 1988. Rameshwaram is located on the island's eastern side and
was once a port from which the ferry to Talaimannar ( Sri Lanka ) departed
before passenger services were suspended more than a decade ago which has
resulted in, very few foreign visitors.
Major Tourist Attractions in Rameshwaram
The Ramanatha Swamy Temple
The Ramanatha Swamy temple is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture and
has the largest temple corridor in India. The construction of the temple
started from the 12th century and was built by different rulers. The
twenty-two wells of this temple are its main. Amazingly, the water of each
well tastes different from that of the other. It is said that the waters of
the well have curative qualities. Some of the many different festivals
celebrated in the temple, include the festivals of Masi Sivarathiri,
Thirukalyanam, Mahalaya Amavasai and Thai Amavasai.
Agnitriham
Agnitriham is the popular bathing spot, located near Ramanatha Swamy
Temple. Before moving ahead towards the Ramanatha Swamy temple, devotees
bath at this holy spot.
Ramjharoka Temple
The footprints of Lord Rama is placed on a Chakra at the Ramjharoka Temple.
The chakra has been placed at the highest point of Rameshwaram. This point
is at a distance of 5 kms from Rameshwaram town. Since it is the highest
point of Rameshwaram, therefore it provides a fantastic view of the blue
ocean waters below.
Dhanushkodi
It is written in the ancient scriptures that Dhanushkodi is the place from
where the monkey army of Lord Rama, started building the bridge to Lanka to
reach the kingdom of Ravana. The place is named after the dhanush or bow of
Lord Rama.
Kothandaramaswamy Temple
According to the ancient belief Vibhishana, the brother of demon king
Ravana surrundered himself to Lord Rama at this temple and asked Rama to
forgive him for the abduction of goddess Sita. Although Vibhishana was not
straightaway involved in the kidnapping but he was ashamed of the fact that
the gruesome crime was committed by his own brother Ravana.
Kothandaramaswamy temple has images of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman
and Vibhishana.
Rameshwaram has many small temples, apart from the main temples, dedicated
to Lord Rama, Lakshaman, Sita and Hanuman. Each temple big and small of
Rameshwaram does have a history of its own. Other than the temples, there is
also a tomb of Saint Ibrahim Syed Aulia at Erwadi, about 24 kms away from
Rameshwaram.
Getting There
Air : The nearest airport is at Madurai, at a distance of 154-km.
Rail : Rameshwaram is well connected by trains from all the major
cities of India.
Road : State transport has a regular bus service available from the
railway station to the various places in and around Rameshwaram. For local
transportation taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas are
available. City bus service is also available in the island.
Accommodation
Accommodation is not a problem in Rameshwarm. Hotels of all kinds are
available ranging from moderate and economy class. Devasthanam cottages and
Choultries in Rameshwaram are other accommodation options.
