Rameswaram

This article is about the temple town. For main temple, see Ramanathaswamy temple, Rameswaram.

For the 2009 film, see Rameswaram (film).

Rameswaram Rameswaram
city
Population  (2001)
• Total	32,224 population_density =

Inside view of Rameswaram temple

Rameswaram (Tamil: இராமேஸ்வரம்) is a town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on an island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is less than 40 kilometres from the Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. Together with Kashi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to Hindus, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimages. Hence, it is a bustling pilgrim centre.

It is situated in the Gulf of Mannar at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. According to legend, this is the place from where Lord Rama built a bridge Ram Setu(also known as Adam's Bridge) across the sea to Lanka to rescue his consort Sita from her abductor Ravana. This is also the place where Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to be absolved of the sin of killing Ravana, who is believed to have been the greatest worshipper of Lord Shiva - reason why Ravana is also known as Ravaneeswara (Ravana God) in many parts of Southern India. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage centre which is known as the Varanasi of the south.

Ex-president of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, hails from a fishing hamlet called Dhanushkodi situated on this island.

Geography

Rameswaram is located at 9.28°N 79.3°E / 9.28; 79.3. It has an average elevation of 10 metres (32 feet). The religious island is spread in an area of 61.8 square kilometres and happens to be in the shape of a conch. The Ramanatha Swamy Temple occupies major area of Rameshwaram.The island is connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge.

The beach of Rameswaram is famous for its beautiful sea featured with no waves at all. The sea waves rise to a maximum height of 3 cm and the view looks like a very big river. Legend has it that Lord Ram of Ramayana prayed to the sea god to pave the way for Lanka. The sea god granted a boon saying that he will make the sea waves less to aid him in building a rock bridge.

Climate

Rameswaram has dry tropical climate, with average annual rainfall 94 cm, mostly from North East monsoon from October to January. Temperature is a around 30°C to 35°C. Highest ever temperature recorded at Pamban station is 37°C and lowest is 17°C.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Rameswaram had a population of 38,035. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Rameswaram has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 66%. In Rameswaram, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Hindu holy city

Panoramic view of Rameswaram City

View Of the West Gopuram of Rameswaram temple

View Of the East Gopuram of Rameswaram temple in the morning

Rameswaram is significant for the Hindus as a pilgrimage to Benaras is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameswaram. The presiding deity here is in the form of a Linga with the name Sri Ramanatha Swamy, it also happens to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas.

The masterpiece of South Indian architecture boasts of the largest temple corridor in India. Different rulers built the Ramanathaswamy Temple over a period of time starting from the twelfth century. The temple comprises twenty two wells where the taste of the water of each well is different from the other.

The grandest part of the temple is the 1219 m pillared corridor consisting of 3.6 m high granite pillars, richly carved and well proportioned. The perspective presented by these pillars run uninterruptedly to a length of nearly 230 m.

According to the Puranas, upon the advice of Rishis (sages), Rama along with Sita and Lakshmana, installed and worshipped the Sivalinga here to expiate the sin of Brahmahatya (killing of a Brahmin) (Ravana was a Brahmin the great grandson of Brahma). Rama fixed an auspicious time for the installation and sent Anjaneya to Mount Kailas to bring a lingam. As Anjaneya could not return in time, Sita herself made a linga of sand. When Anjaneya returned with a linga from Mount Kailas the rituals had been over. To comfort the disappointed Anjaneya, Rama had Anjaneya’s lingam (Visvalingam) also installed by the side of Ramalinga, and ordained that rituals be performed first to the Visvalingam.

In Rameswaram Temple, a spiritual "Mani Darisanam" happens in early morning everyday. This "Mani" is made of "spatikam"[a precious stone] and in form of "Holy shivling". according to ved this is "Mani" of "sheshnag".

Sethu Karai is a place 22 km before the island of Rameswaram from where God Ram is claimed to have built a Floating Stone Bridge Ramasethu till Rameswaram that further continued from Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram till Talaimannar in Sri Lanka as mentioned in the great Hindu epic Ramayana.

Places to see

• 
  Ramarpadm - Footsteps of Lord Rama
• 
  Ramarpaadham Temple, Rameshwaram
• 
  Ramarpaadham Temple, Rameshwaram
• 
  Ramarpaadham Temple, Rameshwaram
• 
  Naga Idols at Ram Temple, Rameshwaram
• 
  Lakshman Theertham, Rameshwaram
• 
  Sita Kund - Pond named after Sita
• 
  Floating stones (Hanuman Temple)
• 
  Sugreevar theertham, Lotus pond on the way to Ramar Padham

See also

• Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
• Tirthas of Rameswaram
• Rama's Bridge

External links

• Rameswaram
• Rameswaram -Tamil Nadu Tourism Site* http://www.tamilnadu-tourism.com/tamil-nadu-temples/rameshwaram-temple.html
• http://www.chennaionline.com/toursntravel/ontheroad/rameswaram.asp
• Rameswaram - Pictures
• Photos of Rameswaram (1280x960), published by author
• Madurai Rameswaram Travels
• Madurai Rameswaram Travels
• VedaGnana.org