Gita Asia | Newsletter March 2019

Rameshwaram, an unspoiled and a quiet town, lies in the state of Tamil Nadu and is part of the enchanting Pamban Island. The town is connected to the rest of the country via the famous Pamban channel. The Mannar Island in Sri Lanka is about 1,403 km away from Rameshwaram. Rameshwaram is regarded as one of the holy places of the Hindus and a must visit during the Char Dham Yatra or the holy pilgrimage.

Legend has it that Rameshwaram was the place from where Lord Rama, who is considered the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu, had built the bridge to Sri Lanka in order to rescue his captured wife Sita from Ravana, the king of Lanka. In fact, the word Rameshwara means “place where Eswara was worshiped by Rama” and presumably this is from where the place gets its name. The famous Ramanathaswamy Temple is located in the centre of the town and is dedicated to Rama. The temple is visited every year by lakhs of Hindus to offer prayers and seek blessings from the god. It is also believed that Rameshwaram was the place that Lord Rama decided to atone for his sins. He was keen to seek penance after having killed the Brahmin king, Ravana. Rama wanted to build the largest Shivalingam and asked Hanuman to fetch the linga from the Himalayas. This took time and Sita constructed a Shivalingam there in the meantime. This lingam is regarded to be the one that is still present in the shrine of the Ramanathaswamy Temple.

History

Rameshwaram’s Historical Importance Rameshwaram has played an important role in the history of India, especially, when trade with other countries was involved. The island was a stop gap point for those travelling to Sri Lanka erstwhile Ceylon. In fact, the Jaffna Kingdom claimed control of the town and the royal dynasty of Jaffna called themselves Sethukavalan or the custodians of Rameshwaram. Even the Khilji family of Delhi is associated with the history of Rameshwaram. The general of the army of Alauddin Khilji came to the town and even the army of the Pandayas could not stop him. To mark his arrival, the general built the Alia al-Din Khalji mosque in Rameshwaram. In the 16th century, the town came under the control of the Vijayanagara kings and until 1795 when the British East India Company took over the command of Rameshwaram. The influx of so many cultures can still be seen in Rameshwaram, in the daily traditions of the local population as well as in the architecture of the buildings.

The main importance of Rameshwaram is due to the numerous temples that are dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu and because

of the numerous theerthas that are located in and around Rameshwaram. Every year Hindus from all parts of the world visit the holy place in order to gain moksha or salvation. Paying their obeisance in the temples at Rameshwaram is a must for the Hindus at least once in their life. There are about 64 theerthas or holy water bodies situated in Rameshwaram. Of these, 24 are considered of importance and it is a must to bathe in these water bodies as it is believed that this helps in getting rid of the sins. Washing away the sins is an important aspect of attaining salvation and no pilgrimage is considered complete without bathing in these holy waters. In fact, bathing in all the twenty four theerthas is considered penance in itself.

Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple The temple is not only a famous pilgrim spot of the city, it is also a major landmark of Rameswaram. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the shrine is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. The temple is believed to be built in the 12th century, and is known for its intricate and elaborate artwork and architecture.

Five Faced Hanuman Temple The five faced Hanuman temple is another major attraction of Rameswaram. The temple has its mentions in Indian mythology. The shrines other than Hanuman that are worshipped here include that of Sita, Rama and Lakshman. It is believed that the souls of the deities are put inside the idols that are worshipped at the temple.

The Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge is the official name given to the Pamban

Bridge and the specialty of this bridge is that it is a cantilever bridge built over the Palk Strait. The bridge forms the connection between Rameshwaram and the rest of the country. The bridge was first of its kind to be built over the sea. It is ranked as the second longest sea bridge in the country with its length measuring 2.3 km. The bridge was built as part of the South Indian Railway project. The construction of the bridge was started in 1887 and completed in the year 1912. Along with the construction of the bridge, the workers also built the famous Neel-Mandir Temple that has seven domes. The bridge has withstood the test of times because of the hard work that has gone into building it into a strong and lasting bridge. The cantilever aspect of the bridge allows it to let the ships pass through underneath.

Dhanushkodi is a small village (that has now taken the importance of a town) situated on the Rameshwaram Island. The village is at the southern-most tip of the island of the east coast. The village is only 31 km away from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. According to a legend Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, asked Lord Rama to break the Sethu. Rama broke the Sethu using one end of his ‘dhanush’ or bow. The name of the place owes its origin to this legend. In fact, one can still spot a line of rocks and isles that are perhaps the remains of the bridge built to Sri Lanka under the leadership of Lord Rama. This bridge is still referred to as Rama’s bridge. The water that originates from this Sethu is considered holy and pilgrims bathe here before starting their pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. Many people also believe that those going to Kashi for pilgrimage have to come to Dhanushkodi for a bath to complete their pilgrimage.

Adam’s Bridge, also popularly known as Rama Setu or Rama’s Bridge, was built by the army of Vanars or monkeys who helped Rama rescue Sita from Ravana. In Ramayana, the bridge is referred to as Setubandhanam. The bridge is actually a path made of limestone shoals that stretch between Pamban Island, which is on the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu and Mannar Island on the northwest coast of Sri Lanka. Geologists have proven that the bridge was actually a walking path that formerly connected India and Sri Lanka. The sea that now separates the two countries is referred to as Sethusamudram or Sea of the Bridge. The Bridge also finds reference in Christian mythology; Adam had crossed this bridge in order to reach the mountain (Adam’s Peak located in Sri Lanka) where he did his penance by standing on one foot for a thousand years. Hence, the name Adam’s Bridge.

Alangudi is a beautiful village located in the Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. It is approximately 17 km away from the main

city of Kumbakonam. It is one of the 9 Navagraha sthalas or places in Tamil Nadu. Alangudi is famous for Sri Abathsahayeswarar Temple dedicated to the planet Jupiter (or Lord Brihaspati or Guru).

Water Bird Sanctuary in the district of Rameshwaram is a must visit for all bird lovers since the sanctuary is visited by water birds every year between the months of October and January. In the sanctuary, one can spot both native as well as migratory birds. The native birds are found almost throughout the year and mainly come to the sanctuary for feeding. The migratory birds come in large flocks from European countries as well as Australia to breed. They usually come along with the north-east monsoons. You can watch the rare and exotic species of water birds at this sanctuary. Bird lovers from all over the world flock to the sanctuary during the recommended season to study the behavioural pattern of these birds. The birds have their favourite places ear-marked and the authorities too have put up signs in places where you can find these birds nesting. Don’t forget to carry your binoculars if visiting the bird sanctuary.