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The Rameswara Jyotir Lingam Temple, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu |
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The Rameswara Jyotir Lingam Temple, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu |
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The City and
Island of Rameswaram is one of the most significant pilgrimage
centres in South India for both Shaivites (Shiva worshippers) and
Vaishnavaites (Vishnu worshippers). It was here that Rama, an
incarnation of Vishnu and a hero of the Ramayana, offered thanks to
Shiva.
The famous Rameswara Jyotir Linga Shrine is located in the city Rameswaram on the island which is a part of the “bridge” to Sri Lanka at the extreme south eastern point of the Indian peninsula. The Sethu Bridge, also called Rama's Bridge or Adam's Bridge was constructed to link this land to Sri Lanka for the Varnarams to reach Lanka. Read more about the “bridge” to Sri Lanka last in this page. Getting inside the Sanctum Sanctorum in the Ramnathaswamy Temple where the most revered Rameswara Jyotir Lingam is installed, is not easy for non-Hindus, but with a little luck and the grace of the Lord, it might happen for you. The Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the largest in India and famous for its many Teerthams or watertanks. There are a total of 51 Teerthams, 22 of them situated within the temple. A pilgrimage is considered complete with a bath and a sip of the water in each of the 22 Teerthams and a dip in the Agni Teertham at the beach. All these waters are considered to have medicinal qualities.
In
the vicinity on Gandamadana Hill, the highest point on the Rameswaram
Island, 3km northwest of the Ramanathaswamy Temple, the
two-storied Gandamadana Parvatam
can be found with the holy Padukas of Lord Rama.
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Worship |
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The worship at all the Jyotir Lingam Temples is closely connected to the legends in the Vedic literature. Before worshipping the Rameswara Jyotir Linga, devotees should worship the Kasi Vishwanatha Jyotir Linga. Anointing the idol by bringing Ganga water especially from Gangotri, the offspring of the Ganges river, gives one great religious merit. To complete the ritual, sand is taken from Rameswaram to Allahabad and emerged in the waters at Triveni Sangama which is the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible river Saraswati. This ritual is a symbol of the integration from north to the south of Bharat (India) as seen by the ancient seers.
It is the custom to
worship at Dhanushkodi (the easternmost point of the island) before
going to Rameshwaram. Several spots in Rameswaram Island are associated
with Lord Rama. The Kothandarama Temple stands at the spot where
Vibeeshanan sought refuge to Rama. |
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No photo exists of the most sacred Rameswara Jyotir Lingam. But in the temple premises you find an interesting tableau with a model of the Shiva Lingam. The likeness is very good. The Shiva Lingam is around 0,5m high and 20-25cm in diameter. This is only an estimate, as the Shiva Lingam is placed in a cavelike very dark shrine, 8-10m from the entrance. This makes it rather difficult to estimate the actual size.
Only Hindus may enter the inner Sanctum
Sanctorum, which is adorned with paintings depicting the origin of Rameswaram.
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Rameswara means “The God of Ram”, as Lord Rama himself established this Linga |
| The Jyotir Lingam was worshipped by Lord Rama to atone the sin of killing Ravana. Hanuman flew to bring the Linga from Kailasa, for Lord Rama to worship. As it was getting late and Hanuman did not arrive, Rama worshipped the Lingam that was made of sand by Sita Devi. The Lingam thus worshipped by Lord Rama became known as Ramanathar. When Hanuman returned he was disappointed that his Lord had not used the Lingam that he had brought. Lord Rama pacified Hanuman and named the Lingam Hanuman brought, "Kasi Viswanathar". |
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The Ramanathaswamy Temple is a fine example of late Dravidian architecture and is most renowned for it's magnificent corridors lined with elaborately sculptured pillars. Founded by the Chola rulers but expanded extensively during the Nayaka Period, in the 16th to 18th centuries, this massive temple is enclosed within a high wall with five Gopuras (gate towers), where the tallest reach a height of 54 metre. The whole temple compound is 300m long and 230m wide. The most remarkable feature of this temple is the Sokkattan Mandapa, so called because it resembles a Sokkattan (dice) in shape. It surrounds the inner temple on four sides in a continuous corridor. It is the largest and most elaborate of it's kind, with 1212 pillars extending 197m from east to west and 133m from north to south. From these corridors the name “the thousand pillared temple” has its origin.
Several
Mandapams with smaller shrines to other deities and three Parakarams
is found in this magnificent temple. There is a huge Anjaneya in a
small shrine and a huge Nandi 4m long, 2,7m wide and 3m high, with the
idols of Viswanatha Naicker and Krishnama Naicker. There are shrines
for Ganapathi and Subramanya. To the right of the Rameswara Shrine is
the shrine for Parvathi. To its North is the Kasi Viswanathar's
shrine.
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The absolute most spectacular Abisheka ritual in
India you will find in
the Rameswara Temple. Inside the temple compound 22 Teerthams has been
constructed with water from supposedly all the holy rivers of India.
Each of the 22 Teerthams (tanks) are believed by devotees to have particular powers and you will often see ritual bathing taking place. The number of Teerthams is said to correspond with the number of arrows in Rama's quiver, with which he used to generate water on the island. The water in each of the 22 sacred wells are considered to have medicinal qualities and is said to taste differently. You will need help from the temple staff to perform this elaborate purification ritual. At each Teertham the holy water will be poured over you 3 times. This add up to 66 times ablution and purification and it's a great pilgrim feast in the huge temple. Done in the night, when it is dark, you can easily get lost. So follow the temple staff or a guide, don't go by yourself. |
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| The Agni Theerth is the name of the beach 100 metres from the temple. It is here Rama worshipped Lord Shiva, to absolve himself from the killing Ravana. It is believed that that a dip in the sea at this point removes all sins and therefore the beach is swarmed with devotees from early morning till sunset. | |
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Southern gate
Northern gate
Northern gate at sunset
Detail of the northern gate in the waxing moon
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| Rameswaram City is situated on Rameswaram Island in the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka. The island is connected to the mainland at Mandapam city by rail and by one of India's greatest engineering wonders, the Indira Gandhi Bridge. It was opened by her son Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. |
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On Gandamadana Hill, the highest point on the Rameswaram Island, 3km northwest of the Ramanathaswamy Temple, the two-storied Gandamadana Parvatam is situated. It shelters the footprint of Rama and is therefore a most revered shrine. The imprint of Lord Rama's feet is, in this shrine, placed on a Chakra (wheel). |
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Kothandaramaswamy Temple was the only construction left by a cyclone in 1964. Dhanushkodi and surroundings were completely destroyed by the cyclone. Idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman and Vibhishana (brother of Ravana), surrendered to Rama here and this incident makes this remote temple a very important place for worship. |
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"Rama's Bridge" refers to the chain of
reefs, sandbanks and islets that almost connects Sri Lanka with India.
Dhanuakodi is the southeastern tip of the Rameswaram Island about
18km from the main Rameswaram Temple. The island has a spectacular
beach and the last 4km to Dhanuskodi you have to walk on foot
through fishing communities.
From here a series of boulders, known as Rama's or Adam's Bridge is connecting the two countries and can be seen both over and under water. Legend says that these are the stepping stones created and used by Hanuman in search to rescue Sita. |
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| Archeology: The first signs of human inhabitants in Sri Lanka date back to the Stone Age, about 1.750.000 million years ago. These people are said to have come from the South of India and reached the Island through a land bridge connecting the Indian subcontinent to Sri Lanka named Rama's Bridge. This is narrated in the Hindu epic of Ramayana. |
The Gopuram of the
Ramanathaswamy Temple
in Rameswaram is seen from the road to Dhanuskodi
OM Namah Shivaya
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