Travel Bytes in Rameshwaram
Posted On November 25, 2011
Have you ever been to the deepest places of worship? Have you ever wanted to feel closer to God? If you ever have felt any one of these then do visit the temple of Rameshwaram which is a great destination for all those who love God and who are devoted to a cause.
Visit the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameshwaram and find yourself in one of the most sacred religious spots in India. This is one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Indian pilgrimage and lies in the southernmost part of India. Situated on the island of Rameshwaram, this place is located a little off the coast of Tamil Nadu and is famous for having been the venue where the popular Indian God Lord Rama won in the battle against the Lanka King Ravana.
This sacred temple in Southern India is one of the greatest Hindu temples and is approached through the Pamban Bridge lying across the sea. It is famous for its lovely decorated corridors and beautiful theerthams which are around 36 in number.
Legend has it that Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva when he was coming back to Ayodhya. This lingam which Lord Shiva represented was made of earth. It was Goddess Sita who made it. It is also believed that Lord Hanuman went to bring an idol of Viswanathar from the city of Benares. As Lord Rama felt that Lord Hanuman could get late in coming back, he prayed in a pre determined spot to the lingam. This lingam today is known as the Ramalingam.
In the meantime Lord Hanuman brought the lingam and this is today known as Vishwanathar. This Shivlingam is today also known as Kasilingam or Hanumanlingam. This lingam is worshipped before worshipping the Ramanathaswamy.
There are stories of how the ancient temple was actually in a hut till the 12th century. Then it was Parakrama Bahu from Sri Lanka who built the first structure here. Then the rulers of Ramanathapuram finished the remaining part of the temple. The towers of the temple are very similar to the Pallava temples. There has a been a lot of development in the temples till the 16th centuries. Then during the 18th century also there were considerable changes. There is a hill here called the Gandhamadhana Hill. One gets a good view of temple. This temple has been greatly patronized by the kingdoms of Mysore, Ramanathapuram and Mysore.
Spanning an area of around 15 acres this temple has many monolithic walls, towers and a fantastic Nandi. The corridor is around 4000 feet long and has more than 4000 pillars. This incidentally is the longest in the entire world. One thing that is unique about this corridor is that the rocks that have been used here are not found anywhere on the island. It is said that it was brought somewhere from Tamil Nadu. There are nine levels in the eastern part of the Main Tower. The western tower is not as tall as the Eastern Tower.
While you are embarking on a pilgrimage tour, then make sure you visit the Jyotirlingas in India. Amongst these are the temples in South India also which add a lot of experience to your travel pleasures.
