About Rameshwaram Temple
Ramanathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is located in the holy city of Rameswaram, an island town in South India, considered a holy pilgrimage site for Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Smarthas. The temple is also one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples, where Shiva is worshiped in the form of a Jyotirlingam.
According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, visited Sethubandh in order to be absolved of his sin of having killed a Brahmin in his war against the demon king Ravana. He decided to do so by building the biggest lingam there in order to appease Lord Shiva. He instructed his chief leutenant, Lord Hanuman to go to the Himalayas and get the biggest lingam possible. As it took very long for Hanuman to return, Lord Rama’s wife, Sita built a smaller lingam out of sand. Even today, there exist two lingams in the temple which are worshiped daily, a small lingam made by Sita out of sand and a larger one brought by Hanuman from the Himalayas. Lord Rama commanded that since Hanuman had got the larger lingam, it would be worshiped first and the smaller lingam would be worshiped second. That practice is followed even now.
Ramanathaswamy Temple is open for the devotees from 5 A.M to 9 P.M (except between 1 P.M and 3 P.M). The poojas are performed six times a day in this temple.
Details of Pooja Timings at Rameshwaram Temple:
- Palliyarai Deepa Arathana 05:00 A.M
- Spadigalinga Deepa Arathana 05:10 A.M
- Thiruvananthal Deepa Arathana 05:45 A.M
- Vila Pooja 07:00 A.M
- Kalasanthi Pooja 10:00A.M
- Uchikala Pooja 12:00 NOON
- Sayaratcha Pooja 06:00 P.M
- Arthajama Pooja 08.30 P.M
- Palliyarai Pooja 08:45 P.M
Pilgrims who wish to offer cash, gold or silver ornaments or other valuable articles should produce them before the temple Peishkar who will arrange to have them placed at the feet of the Lord or Devi as the case may be and get them entered in the temple accounts and issue proper receipts.
Devotees who desire to endow lands or other immovable property should contact the Treasurer or Executive Officer of the temple and arrange to have the prescribed Deeds executed with the approval of the Board of Trustees and legal officers.
How to Reach
By Air: The nearest airport is at Madurai, about 174 km from Rameswaram. The airport is well connected by flights to many Indian cities like Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Pre-paid taxi services are available from the airport.
By Train: The Rameswaram railway station is the major railhead. Trains from Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thanjavur, Palakkad and Bengaluru halt at the station. Taxi services are available from the station.
By Road: Rameswaram is well connected by roads to other cities of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation buses ply regularly from Chennai, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Trichy and other cities to Rameswaram. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses also ply daily from Tirupati to Rameswaram.
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