PILGRIMAGE
IN INDIA
Rameshwaram Dham:- Rameshwaram
is the only one of
the four Dhams where the resident Deity is Lord Shiva. The
other three have either Vishnu in one form
or one of His
avatars in residence. The temple is built on an island
in the
Gulf of Mannar at the tip of the peninsular that projects
out
of the Indian Subcontinent towards Sri Lanka. It is built
on
the site where Lord Rama,
Vishnu's seventh avatar,
worshipped Shiva prior to His attack
on Lankapuri, the
capital city of the Rakshasas to rescue His beloved wife Sita
who had been abducted by Ravana, king of the Rakshasas.
The temple has additional significance because
it is, firstly, a
Jyotirlinga, and secondly, it is said in the scriptures
that a
pilgrimage to Varanasi to pay homage to Lord Vishwanath is incomplete
without also paying homage to Lord Ranganatha at Rameshwaram.
The Dham is also singular in that it is an important
pilgrimage place for both Vaishnavites as well as Shaivites.
Rameshwaram is called the "Varanasi of the South". Pilgrims
familiar with the "Ramayana", written almost 3,000 years
ago, find significance in many landmarks about the place. One of
the most significant of these is the Gandhamardhan Parvat (a hill) on
top of which Rama's footprint is still found
embedded in a rock at the topmost portion of the mountain.
There are also other places of interest
to the devout pilgrim and this is a favorite spot to cleanse one's soul
if one is a Hindu. Another belief is
that Lord Sri Rama earlier constructed a mythological bridge to
Sri Lanka from this Rameshwaram beach.
When to go:- Though
Rameshwaram is an all-year round destination, it is preferable to visit it during
the period from October to March. Rameshwaram has
a hot and humid climate throughout the
year with summer temperatures hovering between 37-30 degree Celsius
and winter temperatures between 30-25 degree Celcius.
Places of Interest
Ramanathaswamy Temple - The
famous Ramnathswamy temple was built in the 17th century and is situated
close to the sea on the eastern side of the Rameshwaram Island. The Ramnathswamy
temple is famous for its 1200 massive granite
columns. The temple has 54 meter tall
gopuram (gate-tower) and 1220 meters of magnificent
corridors.
Agnitheertham - The
Agniteertham is located at a few meters from the Ramnathswamy
temple. It is believed to be located at the same spot where Rama worshipped
Lord Shiva.
Dhanushkodi - Dhanushkodi
is located at the eastern end of the island. It is named after Lord Ram's bow
and is at a distance of 8 km from Rameshwaram. The boulders in the sea between
Sri Lanka and Dhanushkodi are known as Adam's bridge. It is believed
that Lord Hanuman used them to reach across Sri Lanka.
Erwadi - At a distance
of 24 km from Rameshwaram, Erwadi is an important place of Muslim
pilgrimage. The tomb of Ibrahim Sahid Auliya is
located at Erwadi. Muslims from across the globe visit
Erwadi, especially during the month of December to participate in the annual
festival held to pay tribute to the saint.
Gandamadana Parvatham -
This sacred shrine holds a wheel with the footprint of Lord
Rama. The shrine stands on the highest point on the island, around 2 kms
from Rameshwaram.
Ramjharoka Temple - The
footprints of Lord Rama is placed on a Chakra at the Ramjharoka
Temple. The chakra has been placed at the highest point
of Rameshwaram. This point is at a distance
of 5 kms from Rameshwaram town. Since it is the highest point
of Rameshwaram, therefore it provides a fantastic view of the blue
ocean waters below.
Kothandaramaswamy Temple - According
to the ancient belief Vibhishana, the brother
of demon king Ravana surrundered himself to Lord Rama at this
temple and asked Rama to forgive him for the abduction of
goddess Sita. Although Vibhishana was not straightaway involved in the kidnapping
but he was ashamed of the fact that the gruesome crime was committed
by his own brother Ravana. Kothandaramaswamy temple
has images of Lord Rama, Lakshmana, Sita, Hanuman and Vibhishana.
Rameshwaram has many small temples, apart from
the main temples, dedicated to Lord Rama, Lakshaman, Sita and Hanuman.
Each temple big and small of Rameshwaram does have a history of its own. Other
than the temples, there is also a tomb of Saint Ibrahim Syed Aulia
at Erwadi, about 24 kms away from Rameshwaram.
Getting there and around
By Air - The nearest
airport is at Madurai, at a distance of 154-km.
By Rail - Rameshwaram
is well connected by trains from all the major cities of India.
By Road - State transport
buses are available from the railway station to the various
places in and around Rameshwaram. For local transportation
taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas are available.
Also city bus service is available in the island.
Accommodation:- Rameshwaram
offers a variety of accommodation options to pilgrims and tourists. Some of
the best hotels in the region include Hotel Royal Park, Hotel Venkatesh, Hotel
Maharaja and lots more.
