Badrinath in the north, Jagannath in the east, Dwarkanath in the west, and Rameswaram in the south. Known as the “Char Dham” (or, four abodes), they represent the four most important pilgrimages in Hinduism. Though there’s no particular code for all Hindus to follow, most religious Hindus wish to visit these temples during their lifetime. While three of these temples are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Rameswaram is the only one devoted to Lord Shiva. So, it holds special significance in the Char Dham pilgrimage. We visited Rameswaram last year as part of our south India monsoon exploration. While sharing our experience, here’s a travel guide to Rameswaram, the Hindu sacred town.
{If you want to know about more such Hindu pilgrimages, check out: Varanasi (U.P.) ||| Vaishno Devi (Jammu)}
In June 2023, we visited Rameswaram on a day trip from Madurai in Tamil Nadu. We booked a bus trip (Madurai to Rameswaram and back) from a local travel agent. Since Rameswaram is about 180 kms from Madurai, it takes about 3 hours for one side. However, visiting Rameswaram and coming back the same day was a hectic and exhausting travel experience. But it’s quite doable, and a lot of people do this way.
{For more south Indian destinations, check out: Ooty- Mysuru (Tamil Nadu) ||| Thekkady- Periyar (Kerala)}
Why is Rameswaram on every devote Hindu's travel list
In Hinduism, time is divided into four eras (Yuga): Satya yuga, Treta yuga, Dwapara yuga, and Kali yuga. Each of the Char Dhams (sacred pilgrimage sites) represent a particular yuga. Satya: Badrinath, Treta: Rameswaram, Dwapara: Dwarka, and Kali: Puri. So, devote Hindus believe that visiting these four sites are important to attain Moksha (emancipation). Rameswaram being one of these sacred sites, one can imagine its importance among the Hindus.
{For more such Hindu spiritual destinations, check out: Bhubaneswar (Odisha) ||| Rishikesh (Uttarakhand)}
However, it was Adi Shankaracharya, a Hindu seer and Vedic scholar from 8th century, who established these four sacred sites as the “Char Dham” concept. {If you want to know more about the concept, here’s a good read: Char Dham Temples} While travelling across India, he realized that these sites are strategically located in four corners of India. Thus, he imagined them as a strong geographic entity representing the spread of Hinduism.
Besides, as said earlier, among the Char Dham sites, Rameswaram is the only one devoted to Lord Shiva. So, all the Shaivaites (Hindus who worship Shiva) consider it the most important site. Further, Rameswaram is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas spread across India. So, these are strong reasons why Rameswaram is on most Hindu’s travel list.
{For destinations of other religions, check out: Golden temple-Amritsar (Sikhs) ||| Monasteries in Leh- Ladakh (Buddhists)}
Rameswaram: Best places to visit
If you ask me, why should one travel to Rameswaram, I would give mainly two reasons. One, the Ramanathaswamy temple; two, Dhanushkodi. From the above paragraphs, it’s clear why Rameswaram holds so much importance for Hindus. And at the heart of Rameswaram is Sri Arilmigu Ramanathaswamy temple. All roads in the town leads to this temple.
However, there are quite a few other important religious and historical sites for travellers to explore. Places like the mythological Ram Setu, Pamban Bridge, the ruins of the erstwhile Dhanushkodi town, and Dhanushkodi beach are quite amazing in their own ways. With a long coastline, and fishing villages, Rameswaram is a beautiful place for nature lovers as well.
During our travel, after reaching Rameswaram by bus in the morning, we hired an auto-rickshaw to get around the town. We visited all the places of interest including Dhanushkodi in the first half, and visited Ramanathaswamy temple late in the afternoon. I’m presenting a snapshot of all the places of interest below.
Ramanathaswamy temple
At the center of Rameswaram pilgrimage is Ramanathaswamy temple on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. As per Hindu scriptures and beliefs, the temple was established by Lord Rama or his wife Sita. Some believe that Lord Rama established the temple to worship Lord Shiva before constructing the bridge connecting Dhanushkodi and Lanka. As per some other accounts, Sita established the temple while coming back from Lanka.
Either way, its importance for Hindus is quite clear. If Lord Rama and Sita themselves worshipped at this temple at some point of time, it’s but obvious that Hindus would consider themselves lucky to have the opportunity of worshipping at the same place.
However, the temple in its current form definitely belongs to a later period. Some parts remain from the first major construction from 11th- 12th CE. But most of the prominent parts of the temple belong to 17th century. Built in classical south Indian architectural style, the exterior designs are as impressive as the interiors. One of its magnificent corridors- colourful, detailed and photogenic, is also one of the world’s largest.
How to worship at Ramanathaswamy temple:
If you are a casual visitor, you may directly proceed for darshan (paying obeisance) from the east gate. Though one may enter from any of the four gates, east gate is the most convenient gate for darshan. Darshan timings are: 5.00 AM to 1.00 PM, and 3.00 PM to 9.00 PM. Morning- afternoon session sees a lot of crowd, but evenings are generally peaceful.
If you are a devote Hindu, and a serious pilgrim, there’s a three-step process for darshan.
- Step-1: Take a holy bath at Agnee Teertham (a little walk away from the east gate)
- Step-2: Take baths at Bais Kunda, 22 wells in the campus; there are separate changing areas (not rooms) for men and women
- Step-3: Enter the main temple for darshan of Lord Shiva
Dhanushkodi
Not so long ago, Dhanushkodi, an island 20 kms south of Rameswaram, was a bustling town with hundreds of houses. But a powerful cyclone in December 1964 destroyed everything. The cyclone ravaged the town so badly that the government declared it inhabitable, and abandoned it altogether. During the British era, there was a railway station, a church, and a number of other impressive structures. Today, only the ruins stand there reminding the visitors about that powerful cyclone.
Rameswaram to Dhanushkodi road:
While driving towards Dhanushkodi end point (Arichal Munai), through a narrow stretch of land, we stopped over at the ruins. The ruins of the buildings are spread over both the sides of the road. Walking past the ruins of St. Antony’s Church was a melancholic experience. The ghost town made me realize once again man’s helplessness before nature’s brute force.
Beyond the church, there’s a beautiful beach with a little market, and a lovely lighthouse just off the shores. We took a stroll on the beach, spent about half an hour before driving again towards Arichal Munai.
For me, the 20 kilometer road from Rameswaram to Dhanushkodi was actually one of the highlights of the trip. Apart from the historic ruins on the way, the coastline on both the sides made the drive a visual feast. At certain points, the coastline has lovely beaches to walk on, and at other points, seemingly unending stretch of grass bushes. In order to stop inundation, the authorities have strengthened the road with huge boulders on both sides. On can stop over at points, sit or walk, and enjoy the sea-view.
Ram Setu in Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram:
At the tip of Dhanushkodi, one can witness the Adam’s Bridge, or Ram Setu, a underwater bridge made of limestone shoals. As mentioned in Ramayana, the Hindu epic, when Lord Rama, in search of his consort- Sita, reached Rameswaram, he faced the challenge of crossing over the sea to the other side- Lanka (today’s Sri Lanka). So, with the help of his large army of monkeys, he built built a stone bridge near Rameswaram.
The distance between Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram, and Talaimannar in Sri Lanka is about 29 kms. So, it must be the longest bridge in the world! This bridge stood there till about 15th century, when a cyclone submerged it under the sea. Satellite pictures have shown that the bridge still exists under water. But one can’t really see it now. So, this is not a reason why one should travel to Rameswaram. However, the mere experience of being there feels nice.
Dhanushkodi Beach:
Even though Ram Setu is not quite a reason to travel to Rameswaram, Dhanushkodi beach is. The beach stretches along both the sides of the narrow road to the tip.
Though the beach is long and pretty, the winds are too strong down there to be enjoyable. Combined with high temperatures and humidity levels, the winds make it not such a pleasant place. However, standing at the tip of India’s landmass, and imagining its historical significance was a great experience for us.
Arichal Munai:
The end point of the beach is called Arichal Munai, a point of confluence. It’s here the Bay of Bengal meets the Gulf of Mannar (Indian Ocean). On observing properly, one can actually see the flow of waves in opposite directions. Private vendors with powerful binoculars help visitors witness the confluence. Besides, they also help one look into the other side of the sea: Sri Lanka.
Other important places to visit
- Pamban bridge: The Pamban bridge connects Tamil Nadu main land with the Pamban island over which Rameswaram is situated. It’s an iconic bridge across the sea. In fact, it’s famous for the railway bridge just beside the bridge. Unfortunately, the railway bridge was under repair when we visited. Otherwise, we would have taken a train instead of a bus to reach Rameswaram.
- Agnee Teertham: As mentioned earlier, it’s basically a bathing ghat now having ritualistic importance. Hindus believe that it was here Lord Rama took a ritual bath to wash off his sins of killing Ravana, the demon king, but a Brahmin. Besides, it’s also believed that Sita, his wife took the test by fire (~ agnee in Hindi) at this place in order to prove her purity.
- Lakshmana Teertham: A small temple dedicated to Lord Lakshmana, the brother of Lord Rama.
- Rama Teertham: A small temple with a pond in the campus, just like Lakshmana Teertham.
- Villoondi Teertham: Interestingly, there’s a fresh water well inside on the sea shore!
- Panchmukhi Hanuman temple: A five-faced statue of Lord Hanuman.
- Ramarpadam temple: A small temple over the Gandhamardan Hill.
- Abdul Kalam House: In a small village, the modest house of Dr. Abdul Kalam, one of India’s most popular Presidents stands, ever so modestly. Yes, it’s worth a visit.
- Kodandarama temple: The place where Vibhisana, brother of Ravana sought refuge with Lord Rama. Besides, one can observe limestones floating on the water here.
Exploring Rameswaram town:
Apart from the typical travel interests, Rameswaram was a very interesting place for me to observe typical things one finds at all old Hindu pilgrim centers. Have a look around the streets, and find a little temple in every corner of the town! Local vendors selling coconuts and flowers near temples is as common in India as it gets. Since most of the pilgrim centers in India are very old, they are generally untidy, and unruly. Streets are dirty with cows and other domestic animals moving all around. With a keen sense of observation, one can enjoy these sights as well. I’m sharing below, some of the these sights from streets that I captured.
Rameswaram: Travel Guide
How to reach Rameswaram:
- By air: The nearest airport is in Madurai, 180 kms away. From there, one can take a bus, train or taxi
- By train: Rameswaram has a railway station, well connected with major cities of India
- By bus: There are direct bus services from major cities of Tamil Nadu. If you want to undertake a day-trip from Madurai, like we did, it’s possible by bus
- By taxi: Of course, one can hire a taxi for the day/ two from Madurai.
A suggested schedule:
- To explore Rameswaram well, one needs two days. On day-1, visit the Ramanathaswamy temple, and explore other temples in its vicinity. On day-2, visit Dhanushkodi, and leisurely enjoy the beach side.
- However, if you have only one day, it can be done, though it will be a little hectic. If you are very religious, visit Ramanathaswamy temple early morning for a special darshan, though it will be crowded then. In the second half, one can visit other temples and Dhanushkodi. For a not-so-religious traveller, it’s better to visit Dhanushkodi (and other places) in the first half. And in the second half, they can visit Ramanathaswamy temple late in the afternoon/evening. It will be much less crowded and a hassle-free experience.
How to get around:
- If you are budget conscious, there are hundreds of auto-rickshaws in the town waiting for the visitors to show around. I found the rates very reasonable
- For a comfortable day, hiring a taxi for the day is a better option. It’s good especially because of the heat and humidity of the place.
Where to stay:
Some budget hotel suggestions: Hotel Rameswaram Grand ||| Hotel Tamil Nadu ||| Vrindavan Residency ||| Rameswaram ||| Vinayaga by Poppys ||| Wyt Hotels ||| Sremethila Hotels ||| Strawberry Grand.
Where to eat:
- Since Rameswaram is a religious place, expect mostly south Indian vegetarian restaurants there. However, there are sea food options as well, a little beyond the main temple area
- Some good restaurants: Ahaan restaurant ||| Sri Murugan Mess ||| Ganesh Mess ||| The Grand Delhi Food Plaza ||| Lakshmi Villas Pure Veg ||| Mannaar Seafood Restaurant.
Final Thoughts
For millions of devote Hindus, Rameswaram is a must-in-a-lifetime travel destination. About two years ago, I visited Rameswaram with Parina. On the second leg of our south trip, we made it a point to travel to Madurai, and visit Rameswaram. Before this visit, I had visited Puri and Dwarka many a times. So, after visiting Badrinath this year, I completed my Char Dham pilgrimage. Though I don’t know if that has any bearing on me as a person, it was indeed a satisfying accomplishment.
I must say that a travel to Rameswaram was not only a spiritual experience, but quite a learning experience as well. I became more aware of the mythology, history and geography of this very important place. It’s one thing to learn things from text books or internet, but quite other to have a first-hand experience.
I hope this Rameswaram travel guide is helpful to the readers. If you want to know more, do write to us. Else, if you have already been there, do share your experience with us.
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