Rameswaram-The holy island

Rameswaram is an Island situated in the gulf of mannor at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. A very important piligrime centre of the Indians. Rameshwaram is the place from where lord Rama, built a bridge across the sea to rescue his consort Sita, from her abductor, Ravana. This is also the place where Rama worshipped Lord Siva to cleanse away the sin of killing Ravana. Both the Vaishnavites and shaivites visit this piligrimage which is known as the Varanasi of the south.

Rameswaram is significant for the Hindus as a piligrimage to Benaras is incomplete without a piligrimage to Rameswaram. The presiding deity is the Linga of the Sri Ramanathaswamy.Which happens to be one of the Twelve Jyothirlingas of India. It is also considered one among four most sacred piligrim centres of India. They are Rameswaram in the South, Badrinath in the North, Puri in the East and Dwaraka in the West. Among these, Rameswaram is dedicated to Siva, while the other three are dedicated to Vishnu . Rameswaram is an acclaimed Parihara Sthala, where it is believed all sins get absolved. Devotees take holy dips at Sethu Theertha, Agni Theertha and other sacred waters, offer pujas to get progeny, perform Shraadha for their ancestors and do Naga Prathista (installing serpent deity).

The Ramanathaswamy Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the island of Rameswaram. According to Shaiva mythology, Lord Rama is believed to have prayed Lord Shiva here to absolve any sins that he might have commited during his war against the demon king Ravana. The temple along with Viswanathaswamy temple, Varanasi is one of the holiest Hindu shrines that has to be visited in one’s lifetime and is one of the twelve Jyothirlingas the abodes of Shiva.

Devipattinam is a coastal village near Rameswaram. It is believed that Lord Rama prayed to Navagahas (Nine planets) at Devipattinam before embarking on his journey to Lanka. Lord Rama placed nine stones as symbols of the nine planets, at Devipattanam and therefore the place is also known as Navapashanam or Navabashana. It is an important place visited by piligrims on the way to Rameshwaram Dhaam.

The nine stones placed upright by Lord Rama can be still seen in the water close to the beach near a bathing ghat of the Thilakeshwar Temple, also known as Navagraha Temple. The nine stones symbolize the nine planets. Lord Rama performed the ritual so that the nine planets would shed their auspicious light on him in the battle with Ravana to rescue Sita. The Thilakeshwar Temple is dedicated to Shiva and parvathi (Durga). Shiva here is known as Thilakeswarar and the Goddess is known as Soundaryanayaki. The shrine has a beautiful image of an eight-armed Durga with weapons. The deity in the temple is worshipped with tila or gingelly seeds. People come from around the country to perform Tarpan for their ancestors.

Myths say that Sriram was tried to go to Lanka to redeem Sita who was remanded by Ravana: They threw some rock-stones in the south sea and constructed a bridge across that sea. All rock-stones were not drowned; but floated in the sea. Even now you can see that bridge which is called ‘Adam Bridge’ and this was built by Sriram between Rameswaram and Lanka. Sriram arranged to put all these rock-stones in the sea; all were not drowned: But floated Sriram went with his army and redem Sita from Ravana. From that day these rock-stones are floating between Dhanushkodi and Lanka. These floating stones are called ‘Raman Bridge’ One Sriram temple was built at Dhanushkodi as a monument. But storm came here in the year 1964 and Dhanushkodi broke into pieces and drowned into the sea. Rama Temple was also destroyed by the storm. But statues like as Sriram and Lakshman were drowned. These statues had been brought here from there and settled for worship regularly. When north India’s saints visited these places after the storm and saw those rock-stones and took with them to their native places. Only 60 rock-stones were kept in the ‘Thulasi Baba Madam’ is one of the famous Madams located at island city Rameswaram.