Visit one of the Char Dhams of Hindu Pilgrimage- The Salvation Pilgrim in Hinduism

Rameshwaram- The place that stood witness to the Hindu Epic- Ramayana. Every Brown household or rather every Hindu Household in India loves Ramayana. The story of a People’s King for righteousness was Just even when justice was with his closest of ties and bonds in life. A King who went on to be a God- Lord Rama. India got many of its ideologies, festivals, and morals from this very epic. The Ideology of Ram Rajya, festivals like Diwali, Ravan Dahan, Dussehra, etc, and concepts of the triumph of good over evil etc are all a gift of this very Epic.

However, what makes our roots and mythologies believable? The existence of places where these stories unfolded. To be able to visit places with such divine importance is only possible in India. Let’s get to know more about this divine pious beauty.

Rameshwaram – The Land of Rama Setu

Rameshwaram is in Tamil Nadu but is originally an island called Pamban or Rameshwaram Island. One has to take the Pamban express and commute via the Pamban bridge to get to Rameshwaram. To be specific It lies in the Gulf of Mannar region.

Rameshwaram is the Southernmost important Dham in Tamil Nadu in the Char Dhams of Hindu Religion. With the others being Badrinath in Uttarakhand, Puri in Odisha, and Dwarka in Gujarat. Together these 4 dhams mark the East, West, North, and South of the Country. Each of these Dhams belongs to a Yug (Era) as per the Hindu Religion and they are:

• Badrinath- Satyug
• Rameshwaram- Tretayug
• Dwarka- Dwaperyug
• Jagannath Puri- Kalyug

The 3 Dhams are devoted to Lord Vishnu and Rameshwaram is devoted to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Lord Vishnu (Hari) and Lord Shiva (Hara) are infinite friends and are always around each other. Does any place that has a shiva temple will have a Vishnu avatar temple. Or place of Vishnu importance close by and vice-versa. Thus, in terms of Rameshwaram which is devoted to Lord Shiva by Lord Rama, the Rama Setu is a close symbol of Vishnu Avatar Rama’s co-existence here. The very foundation of Rameshwaram- A Lord Shiva Jyotirlinga was laid by Lord Rama. A Vishnu Avatar out of the Dashavtars.

History and Foundation of Rameshwaram and the Ramanatha Swamy Temple:

As per the epic Ramayana, Lord Ram along with his brother Laxman and devotee Lord Hanuman started building the Setu Pul known as the Rama Setu or Adam’s Bridge today to rescue his wife Sita who was abducted by Ravana, the Very witty Brahmin Demon King of the then Lanka. On his way back after defeating and killing Ravana, Lord Rama built the Ramanatha Swamy Temple devoted to Lord Shiva and asked for forgiveness for killing Ravana. Today, The Ramanatha Swamy Temple consists of most of the region of Rameshwaram and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India.

As per History and who ruled over Rameshwaram, several kingdoms namely the Chola Empire, Pandyan Princes, Alauddin Khilji of Delhi Sultanate, and the Vijayanagara Empire were the mighty few. The Sethupathis are also in link to the Ramanatha Swamy Temple.

Must-Visit Places of Pilgrim Importance in Rameshwaram:

1. Sri Ramanatha Swamy Temple: the most important pilgrimage temple devoted to lord shiva which occupies most of the island, this is a must-visit one. You can find observe the rare Dravidian Architecture style here and the temple also has the most number of pillars in its corridor. Timings to visit the temple are from 5 am to 1 pm and then from 3 pm to 9 pm every day.
2. Nambu Nayagiamman Temple: Devoted to Lord Rama, this temple houses three bells when rung together that create a divine spiritual sound and aura in the environment of the temple. Located in Dhanushkodi, you can visit the temple from 6 am to 7 pm every day.
3. Kothandaramaswamy Temple: this temple is in the Epic Ramayana as the residence of Vibhashana, a Younger sibling of Ravana who helped Lord Rama defeat him. With one of the most pleasant backdrops of beaches, ancient ruins, and stunning shades of blue waters, this is a must-visit temple in Dhanushkodi Premises.
   Timings: 6.30 am to 10.30 am and 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm.
4. Sugreevar Temple: the Monkey King Sugreev helps Lord Rama to fight and defeat Ravana and thus the Temple is in dedication to him. Another important aspect is the Sita Kund which is a holy place that makes the sugreevar temple a must-visit ancient Rameshwaram Temple. timings: 6 am to 7 pm.
5. Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple: the biggest devotee of Lord Rama has always played a crucial role in the epic of Ramayana. And thus this temple is A DEVOTION to Lord Hanuman. Some of the stones used to make the Floating Rama Setu Pul are on the premises of this very temple.

Places of Tourist Importance that you should certainly visit to appreciate the natural beauty of Rameshwaram:

1. Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge aka the Pamban Bridge.
2. Water Bird Sanctuary.
3. Adam’s Bridge aka the Rama Setu.
4. Dhanushkodi Beach.
5. Agni Teertham.
6. Aryaman Beach.

The Best Time to Visit Rameshwaram: October to April.

How to Reach Rameshwaram:

• By Air: you can take a flight to Madurai airport 170 km away from Rameshwaram.
• By Rail: Various Trains from major cities can directly connect to Rameshwaram from Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Thanjavur, etc.
• Road: Hence, you can take the bridge built over the rail route and take in the mesmerizing view.

Thus, You can be visiting for a religious pilgrimage or simply to take in the divine beauty of this island. One certain thing is, that you will find God within you when you look for them here beyond you and for salvation, this journey is like attaining it in itself.