Introduction to Jyotirlingas
Jyotirlingas are the twelve supreme manifestations of Lord Shiva, worshipped as columns or pillars of infinite light. The Sanskrit word “Jyotirlinga” combines “jyoti” (radiance, light) and “linga” (the formless symbol of Shiva). Unlike ordinary Shiva lingas installed in temples by devotees, Jyotirlingas are swayambhu — self-manifested — and are said to represent Shiva’s absolute, limitless nature. The Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram from the Shiva Purana lists all twelve: beginning at Somnath in Gujarat and ending at Ghrishneshwar in Maharashtra, with Ramanathaswamy in Rameswaram occupying the eleventh position.
Each Jyotirlinga is associated with a specific legend describing how Shiva’s divine light appeared at that location, and each carries a different name reflecting a distinct aspect of Shiva’s nature. Pilgrimage to all twelve Jyotirlingas is considered among the highest spiritual acts in Shaiva tradition, conferring liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
History of Ramanathaswamy Temple
The Ramanathaswamy Temple sits on Pamban Island (also called Rameswaram Island), connected to mainland Tamil Nadu by the Pamban Bridge. The island’s association with the Ramayana makes it doubly sacred — this is the coastline from which Lord Rama is believed to have launched his expedition to Lanka, and from which the divine architect Nala built the floating stone bridge (Ram Setu).
The earliest references to a shrine at this site come from Ramayana texts and later Puranic literature, though the ancient shrine is believed to have been housed in a simple structure until the 12th century CE. King Parakrama Bahu of Sri Lanka is credited with beginning masonry construction. The Setupathy rulers of Ramanathapuram dynasty substantially built and expanded the temple through the 17th century. The magnificent corridor system, which is the temple’s most awe-inspiring architectural feature, was built progressively between the 12th and 17th centuries, with the final additions made by the Sethupathy kings.
The Story Behind the Temple — Rama’s Act of Devotion
The founding legend is drawn directly from the Uttara Kanda of the Ramayana. After defeating Ravana in Lanka, Lord Rama was troubled by the sin of Brahmahatya — the killing of Ravana, who was a Brahmin and a great devotee of Shiva despite his demonic nature. Sage Agastya and other rishis advised Rama to worship Lord Shiva and seek absolution.
Rama decided to install and worship a Shiva linga on the seashore before crossing back to India. He sent Hanuman to Mount Kailash to bring a suitable linga for the ceremony. However, the auspicious muhurta for the puja was approaching and Hanuman had not returned, so Sita made a small linga from the sand of the beach. Rama installed and worshipped this sand linga — which became the Ramalinga, the principal deity of the Ramanathaswamy Temple.
When Hanuman arrived with the Vishwalinga from Kailash, he was disheartened to find the ceremony already complete. To honour Hanuman’s devotion and soothe his disappointment, Rama commanded that henceforth all pilgrims must first worship the Vishwalinga — the linga Hanuman carried from Kailash — before offering prayers to the Ramalinga. This tradition continues today: devotees are directed to worship the Vishwalinga first, then proceed to the Ramalinga.
Special Features of Ramanathaswamy Temple
The temple is among the largest in South India, spread across approximately 15 acres. Its most celebrated feature is the corridor system — four corridors that run along the perimeter of the temple with 4,000 carved granite pillars standing along a combined length of approximately 1,220 metres (4,000 feet). The third corridor, measuring 197 metres in length and 9 metres in height, is recognised as the longest temple corridor in the world.
The pillars are not merely structural — each is a carved work of art with individual figurative and decorative programs. Walking the corridors is itself a meditative act; the play of light and shadow, the echo of footsteps on the stone floor, and the continuous visual rhythm of the pillars create an overwhelming sensory impression. The corridors were carved over several centuries, and variations in sculptural style are visible as the eye moves along their length.
The gopurams (gateway towers) are enormous: the eastern gopuram stands approximately 53 metres tall, and there are four principal gopurams in total, each covered in painted stucco figures of deities, demons, and celestial beings. A massive Nandi (sacred bull) guards the main entrance. The inner sanctum houses both the Ramalinga and the Vishwalinga — the two lingas installed by Rama and Hanuman respectively — along with the shrine of Parvati in her form as Parvathavardhini.
The 22 Sacred Tirthas — Ritual Bathing
One of the most physically distinctive aspects of a Rameswaram pilgrimage is the ritual of bathing in 22 of the temple’s 64 sacred water bodies (tirthas). Each tirtha is a well or tank within or adjacent to the temple complex, and each is believed to have specific purifying properties. Pilgrims are poured water from each well by temple attendants — the ritual is called theertham and is performed sequentially, moving from one well to the next around the temple perimeter.
The primary external tirtha is Agni Tirtha — the Bay of Bengal shore immediately east of the temple, where pilgrims bathe in the sea before entering the temple. The connection between sea, sand, Shiva, Rama, and the cosmic story of the Ramayana gives this seashore its extraordinary charge for pilgrims.
Darshan Timings
- Morning opening: 5:00 AM
- Kalasanthi Pooja: 5:30 AM
- Noon closing: 1:00 PM
- Evening opening: 3:00 PM
- Arthadamam Pooja: 7:00 PM
- Night closing: 9:00 PM
- Special abhishekam and archana services available on request through the temple office
How to Reach Rameswaram
- By air: Madurai Airport is the nearest major airport, 163 km from Rameswaram; Tuticorin Airport is 175 km
- By train: Rameswaram Railway Station, 1.5 km from the temple, is served by trains from Chennai, Madurai, and major South Indian cities. The train crosses the Pamban Bridge — one of India’s most scenic and engineering-significant crossings
- By road: Rameswaram is 168 km from Madurai, 570 km from Chennai; NH87 connects it well
Nearby Sacred Sites
Dhanushkodi, at the eastern tip of Pamban Island, is where the Ram Setu bridge is said to originate and where the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. It is considered a highly sacred bathing spot and is the southernmost point of Rameswaram. The ruins of the old Dhanushkodi town, destroyed in the 1964 cyclone, add a haunting quality to the landscape. Gandhamadana Parvatam, a small hill near the town, houses a shrine with Rama’s footprint impression and offers panoramic views of the island. The Adam’s Bridge (Ram Setu) limestone shoals are visible from here at low tide.
Rameswaram as Part of the Char Dham
Rameswaram is one of the four sacred Char Dham pilgrimage sites designated by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century CE — the other three being Badrinath, Dwarka, and Puri. The Char Dham yatra is considered the highest pilgrimage a Hindu can undertake in their lifetime, and completing all four sites is believed to ensure moksha. Many pilgrims who begin the yatra at Badrinath in the north complete it at Rameswaram in the south, symbolically linking the Himalayan and oceanic poles of sacred India.
Explore Rameswaram fully with our Rameswaram travel guide. Travel the complete sacred arc on our Kashi–Rameswaram 8N/9D yatra package. Further reading: Top 10 temples in India.
