Rameswaram

Rameswaram is holy town of the Hindus situated on a small island called Pamban, which is separated from mainland of Indian by the Pamban Channel. It is considered to be one of the Char Dham places in India, including Badrinath, Puri and Dwarka.

The town holds immense importance for all Shiva and Vishnu followers, also known as Shaivities and Vaishnavities. It houses the world famous Ramanathanswamy Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and considered as one of the 12 Shivalinga Shrines in the country. Like all other Shivalinga shrine, Lord Shiva is worshiped here as the pillar of light.

According to Hindu scriptures, it was here that Lord Ram had decided to pray to Lord Shiva to absolve him of all sins he committed against the demon of Ravana. The Lord wanted to have the largest lingam for his prayers and so Hanuman set for the Himalayas to get it. But, as much time had lapsed, Sita, wife of Lord Ram, built a small lingam for the Lord to carry on with his prayers.

The lingam in the sanctum of the temple as we see it today is believed to be the same that was made by Sita. The bigger one brought by Hanuman from Kailash is also stationed in the temple.

The city of Rameshwaram is also famous for the sixty-four Trithas or holy water bodies in and around the island. Out of these, 24 of them are said to be important from religious point of view, and bathing in them is almost equivalent to penance. Surprisingly, 22 of these are cluttered around the campus of the famous Ramanathanswamy Temple.

The historical importance of the place and its connection with Lord Ram make it a highly frequented place by pilgrims from around the world. In fact, in the modern times many refer to it as the ‘Varanasi of the South.’

People coming here from far and wide can use the Madurai airport, which is about 163 km from the town and well connected with major cities like Chennai and Bangalore. Apart from this you can also come here by train at the Mandapan Station, 2 km from the main city center.