Ramanathaswamy, Rameshwaram

History & Manyata

Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameshwaram is both a Jyotirlinga and one of the Char Dham, marking the place where Lord Ram — on his return from Lanka — installed a Shivlinga to atone for the brahmahatya dosha of slaying the brahmin Ravana. Two lingas are worshipped in the sanctum: the Ramalingam fashioned by Sita from sea sand while waiting for Hanuman to fetch a Shivlinga from Kailash, and the Vishwalingam brought by Hanuman from Mt Kailash — Lord Ram decreed that Hanuman's linga be worshipped first. The 1,000-year-old Dravidian temple was patronised by the Pandya kings, Setupati rulers of Ramnad and the Vijayanagar emperors. The third corridor (mura), built in the 17th century, stretches 197 m east-west and 133 m north-south with 1,212 ornately carved granite pillars — the longest temple corridor in the world. Inside the complex are 22 sacred theerthams (water wells), each drawn from a different tirth of India by Lord Ram with his arrows, and bathing in all 22 in sequence is believed to grant complete moksha. The five-storey eastern gopuram rises 38.4 m. The Agni Theertham (sea-bath at the eastern shore) is considered the most sacred sea-bath of any pilgrimage in Hinduism.

Aarti Timings

• Palliyarai Deepa Aarti05:00 AM
• Spadigalinga Darshan05:00 AM
• Uchikala Pooja12:00 PM
• Sayaratchai Pooja06:00 PM
• Arthajama Pooja08:30 PM

Festivals not to miss

Suggested Itinerary

1. 122 theertham snanam
2. 2Spadigalinga darshan
3. 3Dhanushkodi in afternoon
4. 4Sunset at Pamban Bridge

Local Attractions

• Dhanushkodi
• Pamban Bridge
• APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial