Ramanathaswamy Temple

The Ramanathaswamy Temple on Rameswaram island is the seventh Jyotirlinga and one of the four Char Dham of India. Standing off the Tamil Nadu coast in the Gulf of Mannar, it is famous for the longest pillared corridor of any Hindu temple and for its twenty-two sacred wells, the theerthams, in which pilgrims bathe before darshan.

A Jyotirlinga tied to the Ramayana

Tradition holds that Lord Rama worshipped Shiva here to absolve the sin of war after rescuing Sita. The sanctum holds two lingams — the Ramalingam, said to have been fashioned from sand by Sita, and the Vishwalingam, brought by Hanuman from Mount Kailash, which by Rama’s wish is still worshipped first.

The temple corridors

Rameswaram is best known for its vast pillared corridors, the longest in any Indian temple, lined with hundreds of carved granite pillars that run to a vanishing point. The towering gopurams and long colonnades took shape over several centuries.

The twenty-two theerthams

Within and around the temple lie twenty-two theerthams, sacred water bodies, each believed to wash away a particular failing. Pilgrims are doused with water from each in turn before darshan, beginning with the Agni Theertham — the sea itself.

History

The shrine is ancient, but the great corridors, gopurams and halls were built up between the 12th and 17th centuries under the Pandya kings and, above all, the Setupati rulers of Ramanathapuram, whose patronage gave the temple its present grandeur.

Festivals

Maha Shivaratri, the Thirukalyanam (the divine marriage), Aadi Amavasai and the Ramalinga Pratishtha festival are the principal occasions, when the corridors fill with processions and music.

Darshan timings and the theertham bath

The temple is generally open from about 5:00 am to 1:00 pm and again from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Many pilgrims take the twenty-two-well bath first, for which a change of clothes is essential; sparsha darshan and special pujas can be booked at the counters.

How to reach Rameswaram

• By train: Rameswaram has its own station, reached over the Pamban rail bridge.
• By road: the Pamban road bridge connects the island from Mandapam.
• By air: Madurai (~170 km) is the nearest airport.

Tips for your visit

• Carry a change of clothes and a towel for the theertham bath.
• Begin early, before the temple closes in the early afternoon.
• The Pamban bridge crossing is a sight in itself.
• Combine with Dhanushkodi at the island’s tip.

Frequently Asked Questions

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