Rameswaram
A place where Devotion, Tradition and Nature form into a
peaceful stream of feelings and flow into the overwhelming Ocean of Grace and Solitude.
Rameswaram,
located on the Pamban Island at
the southeastern end of the great Indian Peninsula is a destination that is known
for its heavenly presence of Lord Rama
in its signature. It identifies itself
not just with the dedicated temple goers but also with Nature Lovers from all
around the world. And for those craving
for Peace and Isolation, their desire comprehends itself with the slightest
touch of their feet to the conglomeration of the waters from Bay of Bengal,
Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.
Pamban
Island that cradles Rameswaram is a landform that is geographically
separated from the Indian Mainland with
over 2 km of water barrier between them, the aerial view of its position gives
an artistic impression as though this place was snatched away from the Indian
peninsula by the forceful waters of the three vast water reservoirs(Bay of
Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea).
The Pamban bridge that
rails the many Express trains from the Indian Railways has been referred to as
one of the oldest Engineered Marvels of the country, carrying more than ten
thousand pilgrims yearly who visit the Holy destination of Sri Ramanatha swamy
temple to complete their “Char Dham” Pilgrimage as directed by
the Hindu Religion. Although a parallel sea link adjacent to the railway line
is easier for commutation by means of Road transport vehicles, yet the beauty
and the exhaustive sight of an Ocean beneath the railway line makes one feel
the beginning of the enormity that this destination called Rameswaram holds ahead of
them.
Mythology inscribes the reason for this temple’s
establishment as the prayer that Lord
Rama had offered to Shiva for absolving him and his
warriors of sins they might have been committed during the war against the callous
King of Lanka-Ravana. As myth reads
it, Lord Rama had instructed Hanuman, the monkey lieutenant to bring a Lingam from the Himalayas to worship
Shiva, but as Hanuman took a longer time
than expected, it was Sita – Wife of Lord Rama who built a
smaller Lingam (Ramalingam) for
the prayer, and as believed it is the same Lingam
that is at the Sanctum of the temple, Much Later when Hanuman arrived with the
another Lingam (Vishwalinga) Lord Rama instructed that the Vishwalingam be
worshipped first and then the Ramalingam,
this tradition continues till today.
The temple was believed to be built over a period of 600 years with various dynasties taking
charge over its grandeur from the Cholas, Pandyas, Jaffna
, Vijayanagara,
British
Empire and lastly to Democratic India.
Fitting aptly into the tradition of South Indian Temples,
this temple is guarded by the high compound walls on all sides of the temple.
One of the most exhaustive of creations in this temple is the long Corridors
than run with more than a 1000
pillars.
With a consortium of shrines of various Indian Gods
including Visalakshi, Parvathavardhini, Utsava
idol, Sayanagriha, Perumal, Mohaganpathi this temple is an emotion that
cannot be written but only felt by a soul irrespective of the Region or
Religion.
To add on to its devotional aspects the place Rameswaram
has 64 Tīrthas (holy water bodies) out
of which 24 are considered to be the most important, as legend and tradition
states bathing in these Tīrthas is one of the major rituals of the Pilgrimage
to Rameswaram.
22 of these Tīrthas are within the Ramanathaswamy Temple.
Ramarpatham
Temple
If Lord Rama’s integrity and divinity were to be experienced
nothing could stand chance the mere sight of his footsteps, so strong is his
presence even after thousands of years since his mythological existence. Ramarpatham Temple is believed to be
imprinted with the Footsteps of Lord Rama at its sanctum. This
temple is located over a hillock named Gandhamathan
Parvatham situated 3 km from the Sri Ramanatha swamy temple.
Dhanushkodi
Every corner of Rameswaram
is a synonym for divinity in the deepest minds of those believers’s who have
rested their imagination at this juncture of mysticism. Dhanushkodi is a version straight from the heart of
theists who believed that Lord Rama had broken the Sethu (mythical Bridge connecting
Lanka built by the monkey army) with a mere touch of one End of his Bow, on request from Vibeeshana, brother
of Ravan and ally of Ram.
Dhanush- meaning “Bow” and Kodi- meaning “End”.
Although the blessings of Gods are sought from this mythical
consortium by a million people every year, yet in the year 1964 a cyclone stuck
this island washing away every being dwelling on its surface. Adding to the native dwellers a passenger
train was swept away with its wheels into the deep Ocean killing more than a 100
people. Dhanushkodi now has been
deemed unfit for living by the Weather and Scientific departments, earning
itself the name of a “Ghost Town”.
In spite of its mix of fortune and misfortunes fisherman have slowly started to
settle here again, often companied by a bunch of travelers and tourists who
walk to know what they don’t know from a land that is a sole witness to its
changing story.
With Water everywhere, one of the most naturally available employment to the people of Rameswaram had been of Fishery. Most of the fishing communities although have slowly shifted to various other professions due to the indiscriminate killing of the fishermen’s by the Lankan Navy for crossing over the diluted boundary line that even the Ocean beneath does not seem to understand. Yet the Fishermen’s in this temple town are worth a dialogue for their humbleness.
With a propelling fleet of boats parked on its shore, although
not true yet it gives an impression of a warring King preparing his battle
ships for a vicious charge against its intruders
Visit to this place of Ramewaram
is a feeling that stays on even as Time moves on, With traditional homes of
Chequered windows and tiled roof, this place of divinity has stood still in
time like a snapshot that can only be pinned to ones heart and not on any
walls.
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