Rameshwaram as a location is one of the popular sites of pilgrimage for the devotees. One of the four Char Dham, Rameshwaram attracts a huge number of devotees on a daily basis. One of the popular temples in Rameshwaram is the Ramanathaswamy Temple. Also popular as the Rameshwaram Temple, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Therefore for the devotees of Lord Shiva this particular temple holds a lot of importance. One of the things that make this temple even more significant is the fact that it is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva as well. According to beliefs this is one of the temples where the idol of Lord Shiva is self manifested or Swayambhu. So if you are ever visiting Rameshwaram you must make sure that you are definitely visiting the Ramanathaswamy Temple.
However the beautiful architecture and the splendid formation of the temple also attract a huge chunk of devotees here on a regular basis. You can check out the Ramanathaswamy Temple photos to see how beautiful the temple is. One of the popular temples in Tamil Nadu, this temple is an important part of Rameshwaram tourism. Furthermore the temple is an important shrine as it is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams as well. A lot of mythology and legends are associated with this temple that makes it an even more significant temple for the Hindus and the Shaivites. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about the Ramanathaswamy Temple Rameshwaram. It will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a trip to this temple in Rameshwaram soon.
Ramanathaswamy Temple
Location: Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Timings: The Ramanathaswamy Temple timings are from 4 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 8 pm on all days
Pooja and aarti timings:
1. Morning Darshan 5 am to 1 pm
2. Palliyarai Deepa Arathana or Morning Wake Up Aarti 5 am
3. Spadigalinga Deepa Arathana or Sphatik Lingam Aarti 5:10 am
4. Thiruvananthal Deepa Arathana or Lord Ananda Deep Aarti 5:45 am
5. Vila Pooja 7 am
6. Kalasanthi Pooja 10 am
7. Uchikala Pooja or Midday Bhog Pooja 12 pm
8. Evening Darshan 3 pm to 6 pm
9. Sayaratcha Pooja or Evening Pooja 6 pm
10. Arthajama Pooja or Pooja before temple closing 8:30 pm
11. Palliyarai Pooja or Shayan Pooja and Temple closing 8:45 pm
Entry fee: There is no entry fee. However for special darshan the ticket price is Rs. 250. Moreover for Spatika Linga Darshan the ticket price is Rs. 50 per person and Abhishekham ticket is Rs. 1500 per couple.
Sevas and Poojas:
1. Swamy Sahasranama Archana Rs. 200
2. Ambal Kavacham Rs. 200
3. Ambal Sahasranama Archana Rs. 200
4. Kalasa Abhishekam Rs. 1000
5. Sangabhishekham Rs. 1000
6. Rudrabhishekam Rs. 1500
7. Panchamritha Abhishekam Rs. 1000
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach Rameshwaram is the Madurai airport as Rameshwarm does not have its own airport. The Madurai airport is located at a distance of 180 km from the temple. It would approximately take you around 2 hours to reach there from the airport. Buses are available from Madurai to reach Rameshwaram so you can opt for that. Or else you can also opt for a car or hire a cab as well from the airport to reach the location of the temple in Rameshwaram.
By train
Rameshwaram has its own railway stations and you will get trains from nearby cities and towns to reach there. The nearest railway station to reach the temple is the Rameshwaram railway station. And from the railway station the distance of the Ramanathaswamy Temple is about 1.9 km away. It would approximately take you around 8 minutes to reach there from the railway station. You can opt for local transports in the area to reach the temple from the Rameshwaram Station.
By road
You can travel by road as well to reach Rameshwaram from nearby major cities and towns. Buses are available from major cities of Tamil Nadu and beyond to reach this temple. Both government as well as private buses are available from different locations to reach the temple. Some of the major nearby cities are Madurai, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, Bangalore etc and they are well connected to Rameshwaram. You can also take a car or hire a cab from these locations as well to reach the temple conveniently.
Read More: MALLIKARJUNA JYOTIRLINGA TEMPLE | TIMINGS | NEAREST RAILWAY STATION
Best time to visit
According to the weather the ideal time to visit this temple would be during the months from October to March. The weather during these months however would be most comfortable. So it would be comfortable for the visitors also to explore the area of the Ramanathaswamy Temple. The months from July to August also are great times to visit here as these are the post monsoon months. Therefore the ambiance and the landscape during this time looks way too beautiful. But avoid visiting here during the peak summer months though. It would be too uncomfortable to visit the Ramanathaswamy Temple during summers because of the humidity and heat.
Furthermore you can visit here during major festivals as well to witness the grandeur of the temple. One of the major festivals here is the Shivratri and therefore a huge number of devotees visit the temple during that time. So you can plan a visit to this temple that time as well to pay your visit to the deity. Plan your visit accordingly so that you can enjoy the best of the location along with the surrounding.
Overview of Ramanathaswamy Temple
The Ramanathaswamy Temple or the Sri Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple located in Rameshwaram is one of the major sites of pilgrimage. Rameshwaram as a location holds a lot of importance in mythology even though it is a small town. It is one of the Char Dham and therefore is one of the locations that every Hindu must visit once in their life. One of the 227 Paadal Petra Sthalams, this temple is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Furthermore that makes this temple an even more significant temple to visit. The principal deity of this temple is Lord Shiva but other than that there are shrines of other deities as well. They are Nataraja, Anjaneya, Sethumadhava, Mahaganapathi, Visalakshi, Mahalaxmi, Ramanathaswamy etc.
According to Hindu epic Ramayana this temple holds a lot of importance. Moreover there are legends attached to this temple that makes it a popular spot. Additionally the architecture of the temple is also a major attraction here. Ramanathaswamy Temple corridor is one of the longest in India. The outer set of corridors here has a height of 6.9 meter. Also from the east to west they are 400 feet and from south to north they are 640 feet. Furthermore the inner corridors here are 224 feet from east to west. And the one from north to south however is 352 feet.
Read More: SOMNATH TEMPLE TIMINGS, NEAREST RAILWAY STATION, HOW TO REACH
What’s more?
However the temple is also an important Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva and for a Shiva devotee the temple also holds a lot of significance. According to belief, here Lord Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light or Jyoti. So here the deity is worshipped in the shape of a pillar of light or Jyotirlingam. Also the interior of the temple is worth mentioning. There are extensive halls here and these spans between massive colonnades on top of platforms. Moreover these platforms are more than 5 feet in height.
Alongside there is a third corridor on the west and from there you will also find paths leading to the Sethumadhava shrine from the western gopuram. This however forms a very unique shape like a chess board and is popular as Chokkattan Mandapam.
Ramanathaswamy Temple Rameshwaram Tour Plan
History of Ramanathaswamy Temple
According to a legend once Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva at this location. He was extremely guilty of killing Ravana who was a demon but an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. However at that time this location did not have temples. So Lord Rama sent Lord Hanuman so that he can deliver the Shivalinga from Mount Kailash. However there was a delay in Lord Hanuman’s return. In the meantime therefore Devi Sita built a shrine of Lord Shiva from the sand. But later when Lord Hanuman returned with the Shiva Lingam they also erected it beside the temple. For that reason therefore there are two Shiva lingams in the temple. The one which Devi Sita has made is popular as Ramalingam and the other one that Lord Hanuman carried is the Vishwalingam.
Furthermore, during the 15th century, King Udaiyan Sethupati along with Nagoor Vaishyas built this temple. In the 16th century Tirumalaya Sethupathi separated the second portion of this temple. You can still see the statues of Tirumalaya and his son at the entrance of this temple though. However, according to studies the present day structure of the temple dates back to the 17th century. Scholars also suggest that King Kizhavan Sethupathi directed this temple construction. Jaffna Raja belonging to the Sethupathi kingdom also had made significant contributions for the construction of this temple.
Ramanathaswamy Temple Dress Code
There is however a strict dress code to enter the temple and all the visitors here must dress accordingly. For the male devotees the dress code is dhoti with shirt or pyjama with shirt. Also they can wear pants along with a shirt. Furthermore for women the dress code is sari, churidar and also pavadai along with half saree. For every person who is wearing any outfit like lungi, jeans, bermudas or tight leggings would not be allowed to go inside the temple.
Also entering the temple with wet clothes is not permitted here. Even if you are following the dress code but your clothes are wet after performing the cleansing ritual or Theertha Snana, you will not be able to enter the temple. So you therefore must carry an extra pair of outfits along with you to change into them after the ritual. Also there are separate areas for changing here so that would not be a problem.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Ramanathaswamy Temple Rameshwaram and now you can plan a trip to this temple as soon as you can. A visit to this temple will feel divine and you will be able to experience a great feeling as well. This is one of the most popular temples that you can ever visit and according to beliefs this is one of the powerful temples of Lord Shiva as well. So whenever you are visiting Rameshwaram make sure you plan a trip to the Ramanathaswamy Temple. Let me know if this article on this temple in Rameshwaram is helpful for you in planning a trip there.
