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Rameshwaram is located in the sea region of “Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserves” and is relatively small in terms of area. Standing firmly in the middle of India and Sri Lanka with its clean sea breezes, less crowded temples & sacred ponds, this famous “Island City” has been the center of attraction for travelers across the world. One of the Char Dhams of India and an avid place for Hindu devotees, Rameshwaram is one place you must add to your travel bucket list.
Rameswaram,is a town and a second grade municipality in the Ramanathapuram district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kilometres from Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. It is situated in the Gulf of Mannar, at the very tip of the Indian peninsula.Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, is connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge. Rameswaram is the terminus of the railway line from Chennai and Madurai. Together with Varanasi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in India to Hindus, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimage.
It is said that this is the place from where the Hindu god Rama built a bridge across the sea to Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from her abductor Ravana. The Ramanathaswamy Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, is located at the centre of the town and is closely associated with Rama. The temple, along with the town, is considered a holy pilgrimage site for both Shaivas and Vaishnavas.
Rameswaram is the closest point from which to reach Sri Lanka from India, and geological evidence suggests that the Rama Sethu was a former land connection between India and Sri Lanka. The town has been in the news over the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, Kachchatheevu, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and capturing local fishermen for alleged cross-border activities by Sri Lankan Forces.Rameswaram is administered by a municipality established in 1994. The town covers an area of 53 km2 (20 sq mi) and had a population of 44,856 as of 2011. Tourism and fishery employ the majority of workforce in Rameswaram.
Located in the district of Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu, Rameshwaram is one of the renowned pilgrim centers in India. The place has great religious value in the heart of every devotee therefore a number of people come here throughout the year to worship their God. Rameshwaram is amongst the Char Dham pilgrimages in the country.
Nestled on the Rameshwaram Island, the religious city has a unique historical backdrop. According to Hindu Mythology, the place has one of the 12 Jyothirlingas of Lord Shiva. The medieval Dravidian architecture is something which will surely grab your attention. Rameshwaram temple which is seen as the major attraction of this holy place is believed to have been built by Lord Rama. The city had also witnessed many dynasties.
Besides the Rameshawarm temple, there are many ancient temples such as Agnitheertham, Gandamadana Parvatham, Dhanushkodi, and Kothandaraswamy Temple. The tranquil beauty of these temples will surely provide great pleasure to mind. The place also has various markets where you can go and buy different types of local and famous things of this religious place. This information and more can be taken from Rameshwaram travel guide. The place is also seen as ‘Varanasi of South’.
History
The history of Rameswaram is centred around the island being a transit point to reach Sri Lanka (Ceylon historically) and the presence of Ramanathaswamy Temple. Tevaram, the 7th–8th century Tamil compositions on Shiva by the three prominent Nayanars (Saivites) namely Appar, Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandar.The Chola king Rajendra Chola I (1012 – 1040 CE) had a control of the town for a short period.The Jaffna kingdom (1215–1624 CE) had close connections with the island and claimed the title Setukavalan meaning custodians of the Rameswaram.Hinduism was their state religion and they made generous contribution to the temple.Setu was used in their coins as well as in inscriptions as marker of the dynasty.
According to Firishta, Malik Kafur, the head general of Alauddin Khilji, the ruler of Delhi Sultanate, reached Rameswaram during his political campaign in spite of stiff resistance from the Pandyan princes in the early 14th century.He erected a mosque by name Alia al-Din Khaldji in honour of victory of Islam.During the early 15th century, the present day Ramanathapuram, Kamuthi and Rameswaram were included in the Pandya dynasty.In 1520 CE, the town came under the rule of Vijayanagara Empire. The Sethupathis, the breakaway from Madurai Nayaks, ruled Ramanathapuram and contributed to the Ramanathaswamy temple.The most notable of them are the contributions of Muthu Kumara Ragunatha and Muthu Ramalinga Sethupathi, who transformed the temple to an architectural ensemble.The region was repeatedly captured several times by Chanda Sahib (1740 – 1754 CE), Arcot Nawab and Muhammed Yusuf Khan (1725 – 1764 CE) in the middle of 18th century.In 1795 CE, Rameswaram came under the direct control of the British East India Company and was annexed to the Madras Presidency. After 1947, the town became a part of Independent India.
Education
Ramanathapuram district has one of the lowest literacy rates in the state of Tamil Nadu and Rameswaram, following the district statistics has a lower literacy rate. There are a couple of Government high schools, one each for boys and girls.There are seven other schools namely, Swami. Vivekananda vidyalaya Matriculation School( which provide excellent education in the island and secure district and state level ranks in board exams frequently), St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Mandapam Panchayat Union 9 – School, Micro Matriculation School, Sri Sankara Vidhyalaya, Holy Island Little Flower School and Kendriya Vidhyalaya School.Alagappa University Evening College is the only college present in the town and all the nearest colleges are located in Ramanathapuram and Paramakudi.
| state |
Tamil Nadu,India |
| Country |
India |
| Area |
55 km2 (21 sq mi) |
| Languages spoken |
Tamil, English, Hindi, kannada, malayalam |
| Currency |
Ruppee |