Rameshwaram is a
not-to-miss pilgrimage town located in Ramanathpuram District of Tamil Nadu.
Separated from mainland India by the Pamban Channel, this tourist spot has been
the centre of attraction for Hindu devotees across the world. A walk through
the temples of Rameshwaram takes you to the days of the Ramayana and you would
find enough evidences that will only reinforce your belief that there was once
a man called Rama who walked on earth. Though the main attraction of this
temple town is the great Ramanathaswamy Temple, one of the Char Dhams in India,
yet its relatively clean sea beaches, lesser crowded temples and sacred ponds
give another reason to the avid travellers to add Rameshwaram to their bucket
list. I am sure you are
eagerly waiting for me to throw light on the attractions of Rameshwaram. So,
without much ado let’s discuss about the places to visit in and around
Rameshwaram in detail.
Ramanathaswamy Temple
One of the twelve
Jyotirlinga Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple of Ramanathaswamy is an
architectural excellence built in the 17th century. A must visit pilgrimage for both the
Vaishnavite as well as the Shaiva sect of Hinduism the temple constitutes a major
part of the popular spiritual tourism destinations in India. The actual temple
is believed to have been built by Lord Rama himself and thus it has gained an
esteemed position in Indian mythological reference.
Five Faced Hanuman Temple
Highly revered by the
Hindus, the temple of Five Faced Hanuman is only 2 km from the Ramanathaswamy
Temple. It is believed that Hanumana revealed his five-faced form for the first
time in this place. The statue of Lord Hanuman is smeared with sindoor and
worshipped with utmost devotion. The temple here enshrines the statues of Rama,
Laxman and Sita. There is a floating stone in the temple which is believed to
have been used during Sethu Bandhanam as mentioned in the Ramayana.
Ariyaman Beach
An ideal place to spend a
relaxing evening with your friends or family, Ariyaman Beach is located in
Ramanathapuram Tourists can enjoy boating in this beach or get involved in
different water based sports like wind surfing or water scooter ride. The beach
has a children’s park, an aquarium and a museum as well.
Kothandaramaswamy Temple
Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge
Claimed to be the first
sea bridge in India, Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge or Pamban Bridge is a
cantilever bridge on Palk Strait that connects Rameshwaram Island with the
mainland India. Initially, the name used to refer the rail route only which has
a double leaf bascule section midway. This double leaf bascule functions well
till date and it can be raised to let ships go. The bi-lane road passing next
to this bridge is another attraction in Pamban and obviously allows you to have
a glimpse of the railway bridge if you are driving over the bridge.