Rameshwaram is located on an enchanting island in the Indian Ocean and is a living memoir of the Ramayana after namely by Lord Rama. Rameshwaram is firmly standing in the middle of Sri Lanka and India with its less crowded temples, clean sea breezes, and sacred ponds. This island city is situated in the sea region of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserves. The Pamban Channel has separated Rameshwaram from mainland India. Rameshwaram is counted as one of the seven holiest places where one can gain salvation. Rameshwaram travel guide will give you a deep insight of this holy city. Learn a few things about the city before planning the Rameshwaram trip.
This place is a major pilgrim spot for the Vaishnavites and the Shaivites. At this place, Lord Rama offered prayers to Lord Shiva along with Sita, Laksham, Lord Hanuman and his monkey clan after his victory in the kingdom of Lanka. This land of Rameshwaram is counted as one of Char Dhams as well as is one of twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. This prominent pilgrimage site is often called as the Varanasi of South India.
History Of Rameshwaram:
The town has always been attractive to rulers because of its proximity to Sri Lanka. One of the other Rameshwaram famous places, the Ramanathaswamy Temple, too has held appeal and many rulers and kingdoms vied for their right to be custodians of the religious structure. Among the more noteworthy kingdoms that were established in Rameshwaram include the Cholas, the Jaffna kingdom – who claimed the title Setukavalan which means custodians of the Rameshwaram – the Pandyan princes and the Vijaynagara Empire. Malik Kafur, the head general of Alauddin Khalji, who was then the ruler of Delhi Sultanate, also managed to reach Rameshwaram sometime in the early 14th century.
The Sethupathis, notably Muthu Kumara Ragunatha and Muthu Ramalinga Sethupathi, were responsible for transforming Ramanathaswamy temple into an architectural masterpiece. In 1795, Rameshwaram was taken over by the British East India Company. After independence, the town became a part of independent India.
Best time to visit Rameshwaram:
Whether you are visiting Rameshwaram with a religious intent or simply to sightsee, ideally plan your trip around winter, between October and March. Being a coastal town, the weather in winter is pleasant, and you won’t feel the heat and humidity much. Temperature hovers between 20-30 degrees Celsius. The breeze feels cool and is great company as you walk around checking out the temples and beaches.
Summer in Rameshwaram is from April till July. Day time gets hot, with the afternoon temperature hitting the 40s. Early mornings are still pleasant, and you can go explore the town then, heading back to the hotel for the rest of the day. The evening cools down again once the sun sets.
Rainfall here is moderate and the temperature ranges between 28-35 degrees Celcius. Because of the sandy nature of the land, it can get mushy and messy to step out when it rains.
How to get to Rameshwaram: Separate, yet connected
Once upon a time Rameshwaram was cut off from the mainland, but that is not the case today.
By Road - The other cities of Tamil Nadu, like Chennai, Kanyakumari, Madurai and Trichy among others, are well-connected to Rameshwaram thanks to the regular Tamil Nadu Road Transport Corporation buses that ply between them. There are Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses daily from Tirupati as well.
By Rail - The Rameshwaram railway station is a major station for trains coming from Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Thanjavur, Palakkad and Bengaluru. You can hire a taxi to take you to your hotel from there.
By Air - You can fly into Madurai and then hire a taxi to cover the 174 km distance to Rameshwaram. Madurai is well-connected to major Indian cities, like Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru and Mumbai.
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