Posted by: Sumeet Chopra
About Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga
Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples in India. The shrine is also known as Ramanathaswamy temple and magnificent architecture, long corridor and sacred water tank of this temple making it a spiritual marvel. Jyotirlinga shrine is located in Rameshwaram town on Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu. Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple has its own mythological importance and it is believed that Jyotirlingas in the shrine was built by Lord Rama during his journey to rescue his wife Sita. The magnificent architecture, long corridor and sacred water tank make it a spiritual marvel. And this is the reasons; the temple attracts devotees from across India. In this blog post, we will discuss about the historical facts, mythology importance, timing to visit temple etc.
Location of Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple
The Temple of Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is located at on Pamban Island in the
Rameshwaram town in Tamil Nadu. It is located in the southern part of India which
is very close to Gulf of Munnar, an island situated in Sri Lanka. There is a famous
Pamban Bridge which connects the town. You can reach Rameshwaram by train, by
air or by road as the town is well connected. To reach Rameshwaram, the nearest
railway station is located in Rameshwaram railway station which is around 1 km
away from the temple. You can take a taxi from the station to reach the temple.
Though, if you are planning to visit the Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga by flight, then you will land to Madurai Airport which is the nearest airport to reach the temple. The distance from Madurai to Rameshwaram is around 170 km.
Quick Link: Book Rameswharam Tour Packages
History
of Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga
Originally the Rameshwaram Temple was housed in a simple thatched hut
until the 12th century. It is said that there was a person named Prakarama Babu
from Sri Lanka who started the Masonry work on the temple. Later, the Setupathy
ruler of Ramanathapuram continued the construction work of the temple. And the
current structure of the temple as it looks like today was built in the 17th
century AD.
To enriching the beauty and grandeur of Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple, royal families from Travancore, Ramanathapuram, Mysore, and Pudukkottai have significantly contributed throughout the year in the construction of the temple.
Special Features of Rameshwaram Temple
The temple is a sprawling architectural masterpiece that spans 15 acres
with towering pyramidal gopurams and large Nandi statue. Notably, it has the
longest corridor of about 4,000 feet in length containing 4,000 intricately
carved granite pillars. The structure is even more extraordinary because it was
not made from native granite.
Two lingas are housed within the sanctuary: the main deity’s sand linga
made by Lord Rama himself and Vishwalinga brought by Hanuman all the way from
Mount Kailash.
Rameshwaram also boasts of 64 tīrthas or sacred water bodies with 24
being considered holy. It is believed that bathing in these tīrthas especially
Agni Tīrtham in Bay of Bengal absolves their sins.
This temple complex also includes separate shrines for Ramanathaswamy
and his consort, Goddess Parvathavardhini as well as dedicated spaces to Lord
Vishnu, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Vishalakshi. Furthermore, its spiritual and
architectural magnificence is enhanced due to its’ halls like Setupati
Mandapam, Kalyana Mandapam and Nandi Mandapam.
What is Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga's Significance and History?
The story which is associated with the Temple of Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga comes from the great Hindu epic, the Ramayana.
- Rama's Journey: Following the defeat of Ravana and the rescue of his wife Sita, Rama travels to India with Sita and his brother Lakshmana. However, Rama had the problem of the sin of killing Ravana who was a Brahmin and to absolve his sin, he prayed to Lord Shiva.
- Hanuman's Quest: Rama ordered Hanuman to get a Shiva Lingam from the Himalayas. Filled with immense determination Hanuman started off. At the same time Rama and Sita went to Rameshwaram and waited for his arrival.
- The Sand Lingam: Hanuman on his part remained busy in search of other captives and as such his return was delayed and Sita knowing well that Rama worships only at the auspicious moments created a Shiva Lingam out of sand for him to worship. Having brought the Lingam, Rama placed it right beside the sand Lingam and hence it is the Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga.
- Significance: The Hanuman in the story increases and depicts his loyalty and love for Rama and Sita and also blesses the Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga, which is portrayed to pursue redemption. There are many stories about this Jyotirlinga; people who prayed to this deity are believed to have their sins forgiven and are provided with moksha.
Some Facts about Rāmēswara Jyotirliṅga
- Unique Lingams: The Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga temple / Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples which actually comprises two Lingams – Ramalingam and Vishwalingam. It is mandatory on the part of devotees to have the darshan of the Vishwalingam before coming to the Ramalingam.
- Longest Corridor: The sacred hallway that is the internal temple aisle of this temple has 1202 meters and more than 1202 carefully designed pillars.
- Sacred Theerthams: In Tamil, ‘theertham’ translates to a sacred pond or water body, and there are twenty-two theerthams in the temple premises. Each theertham is not only holy but also possesses concrete curative qualities according to the tradition.
- Architectural Excellence: The Rameshwaram Temple is particularly acclaimed for its Dravidian style of architecture with the towering pyramidal tiered tower, spacious pillared halls, and intricate details of the carvings in stones.
- Spiritual Significance: Rameshwaram jyotirlinga is one of the twelve jyotirlingas hence one of the most important religious places for people who believe in Lord Shiva. This state is also one of the Char Dhams that are considered to be the sacred Dhamas' in the Hindu religion, coming fourth in the list.
- Pamban Bridge: The bridge that joins the mainland with Rameswaram Island can be considered an iconic and spectacular construction and boasts a beautiful view of the Indian Ocean.
- Festivals: The temple is also home to several significant Hindu fairs which are festive seasons such as Maha Shivaratri, Ram Navami and Diwali and most of these events are attended by thousands of people.
List of 12 Jyotirlingas in India
- Somnath Jyotirlinga (Gujarat): It is traditionally considered the first Jyotirlinga shrine from the list of twelve out of them, situated in the western part of India, in Gujarat. The temple has a long history and the construction of a new temple was started several times earlier because of invasions. The distance from Somnath Jyotirlinga to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 2847.5 Kilometer.
- Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga (Andhra Pradesh): Mallikarjuna temple is an ancient temple located at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, situated at Nallamala hills; the place is believed to be the appearance of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi in the form of Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba respectively. The distance from Mallikarjuna to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 951 Kilometer.
- Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga (Madhya Pradesh)
- Ujjain has the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple which is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva in India. The temple is famous for the Bhasma Aarti, where the idol is offered ashes as a sign of respect. The distance from Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple is about 1968.0Kilometer
- Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga (Madhya Pradesh)
- The Omkareshwar temple is more stunning as it is built on an island in the river Narmada and has the shape of the ‘OM’ symbol. It holds a deep connection with the mythological stories running around Lord Shiva and his different forms. The distance from Omkareshwar to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 1822.5 Kilometer
- Kedarnath Jyotirlinga (Uttarakhand): Kedarnath is mountainous and can only be visited for a few months in a year because of the harsh climate in the region. The place is said to have been graced by the darshan of Lord Shiva in the form of a bull. The distance from Kedarnath to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 2383 Kilometer.
- Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga (Maharashtra): To be more precise, the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is sited in the range of hills called Sahyadri in Maharashtra. The temple is located in the midst of thick jungles and holds the story of Lord Shiva overcoming the demon Tripurasura. The distance from Bhimashankar to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 1550.8 Kilometer.
- Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga (Uttar Pradesh): The Kashi Vishwanath temple is a temple of lord Shiva which is situated in Varanasi, India. The temple of this destination is located on the side of the Ganges River and has a religious importance to a large extent. The distance from Kashi Vishwanath to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 2372.9 Kilometer.
- Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga (Maharashtra): The Trimbakeshwar temple is in the vicinity of the Nashik district and has a kund which is identified as the source of the Godavari river. The temple holds one Jyotirlinga in the shape of three faces of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar hence it is called Trimurti Mandir. The distance from Trimbakeshwar to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple is about 1605 Kilometer.
- Baidyanath Jyotirlinga (Jharkhand)
- Baidyanath Jyotirlinga is also known as Jotibha or Vaidyanath, is situated in Deoghar, Jharkhand. As per folklore, Lord Shiva incarnated in the context of healing the demon king Ravana for his wounds. The distance from Baidyanath to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 2335 Kilometer.
- Nageshwar Jyotirlinga (Gujarat)
- Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is mentioned in Shiva Purana and is based in the state of Gujarat near the city of Dwarka. The temple has a story behind it which states a fact where lord Shiva saved his devotee from the demon. The distance from Nageshwar to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga is about 2518.2 Kilometer.
- Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga (Maharashtra)
- The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple can be found in the vicinity of Ellora caves. It is also known for its fascinating architecture and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas : the shrine of Shiva. The distance from Grishneshwar to Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga Temple is about 1539.6 Kilometer.
