Rameswaram is an island town in the Gulf of Mannar, in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu, joined to the mainland by the Pamban bridges. The name means “Lord of Rama”, and the temple of Ramanathaswamy at its centre is the seventh entry in the list of the twelve jyotirlingas. It has a second distinction: it is the southern site of the Char Dham, a link that joins the Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions in one pilgrimage.
Where it is
The temple stands near the eastern shore, a short walk from the sea at Agni Theertham. The place is also close to Dhanushkodi, the tip of the island where, in tradition, Rama’s bridge towards Lanka began. Many pilgrims first bathe at Agni Theertham and then move through the temple’s twenty-two sacred wells, called theerthams, in a set order, before the darshan of the linga.
The legend
The Ramayana tradition says that after the war in Lanka, Rama returned to the mainland and was advised by sages to make atonement for the killing of Ravana, who was a Brahmin and a great devotee of Shiva. To do so, he needed to worship a linga. Rama sent Hanuman to fetch one from Kailash, and the auspicious moment drew near with no sign of him. So Sita made a linga from the sand of the shore, and Rama worshipped it at the proper time. This is the linga called Ramalinga or Ramanatha.
Hanuman returned with a linga from the Himalaya and was upset to find the worship done. To console him, Rama ordered that the linga Hanuman had brought, called Vishwalinga or Hanumadlinga, be worshipped first, and the tradition keeps to this order in the temple even now. The story shows both devotion to Shiva by a Vaishnava hero and the care taken over a devoted servant’s feelings.
Another idea is that the twenty-two theerthams stand for the arrows of Rama. As with all such stories, treat them as devotional narrative and not as history.
The temple’s history
The shrine is old, and hymns of the Tamil Nayanmar saints refer to the place. Historians record that the temple grew in stages, with major additions in the Pandya period around the twelfth century, followed by work under the Jaffna kings of Sri Lanka and the Sethupathi rulers of Ramnad, who were its great patrons. The famous third corridor was largely completed in the eighteenth century under Muthuramalinga Sethupathi.
The outer corridor is often described as the longest in any Hindu temple in India, lined on both sides with a long series of carved pillars, which many visitors say is the most memorable sight. The east tower is about fifty metres high. The temple is administered by the state’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, and its website carries the notices.
Dhanushkodi and the island
Most pilgrims also go to Dhanushkodi, where the road ends at a ruined town swept away by a cyclone in 1964, and where the sea meets on two sides. Other short stops include the Gandamadana Parvatham, with a footprint of Rama, the Panchamukhi Hanuman shrine, and the house where Dr A P J Abdul Kalam grew up. Road signs and local boards explain each one. Hire a local vehicle for half a day, and agree the price before you start.
How to get there
- Airport: Madurai is the nearest airport with regular services, roughly three hours by road. Check flights before you book.
- Railway: Rameswaram has its own station, with connections to Madurai, Chennai and other cities.
- Road: the road crosses the sea on the Pamban bridge. State buses and taxis run from Madurai and Ramanathapuram.
The season
Summers are hot and humid. The cooler months, from late autumn to the early months of the year, are the favourite time, though the northeast monsoon can bring storms to the coast. Maha Shivaratri is a major festival, and the days of the new Moon (Amavasya) are among the busiest, because pilgrims come to perform rites for their ancestors by the sea. Ram Navami is the other great day for devotees of Rama. Check dates for the Ram Navami and Maha Shivaratri days for your city.
Etiquette
Bathing in the theerthams is an important part of the visit. Water from the wells is poured over visitors by temple attendants for a fee, and the details and the rates are fixed by the temple, so use the official counters and do not carry valuables. Change into dry clothes after the bath, and follow the dress code at the entrance, which the temple notifies. We do not quote timings or fees. Read them on the official website.
Ancestral rites at Agni Theertham are a long tradition, and families decide for themselves whether to perform them. Do not accept pressure from anyone to buy rituals you do not want. A short recital of the Lingashtakam is a quiet way to prepare for darshan, and the Ram Navami puja guide shows how Rama is worshipped at home.
Related pages
- The twelve jyotirlingas
- Char Dham
- Mallikarjuna jyotirlinga
- Amavasya
- Om Namah Shivaya
- Pilgrimage guides
Frequently asked questions
↳ Why is Rameswaram both a jyotirlinga and a Char Dham?
It is a Shiva shrine on the traditional list of twelve and also the southern site of the four-part Char Dham, which joins a Shaiva temple to three Vaishnava ones. Both statuses come from long tradition.
↳ Who established the linga?
The Ramayana tradition says Sita made a linga of sand and Rama worshipped it. The linga Hanuman brought is honoured first in the temple's order of worship.
↳ What are the twenty-two theerthams?
They are sacred wells inside the temple, and pilgrims bathe or are sprinkled from them in a fixed order. A tradition links them to the arrows of Rama.
↳ What is the nearest airport?
Madurai, roughly three hours away by road. Rameswaram's own railway station is the usual way in by rail.
↳ Are the arrangements and rates fixed?
They are set by the temple administration and can change. Check the official website and use the official counters.