RAMESHWARAM WITH RAMANATHAPURAM (FROM MADURAI)

Pilgrimage

Photo Credit: Flickr

ITINERARY SUMMARY

Trip Starting Point: Madurai City

Mode of Travel: Car (or Cab)

Trip Duration: 2 Days

Ideal Start Time: 7 AM (Day 1) & 8.30 AM (Day 2)

Total Places Visited: 9

Day 1 Attractions | Day 2 Attractions

DAY 1 : TRAVEL L TO RAMESHWARAM & SIGHTSEEING

Travel from Madurai to Rameshwaram

At a distance of 2 km from Rameshwaram Railway Station (just 100 meters away from east entrance of Rameshwaram Temple), Agnitheertham is said to be the place where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to wash off his sins of killing Ravana. It is one of the prime place to visit on a Rameshwaram trip.

It is a sacred place and piligrims believe that taking a bath in Bay of Bengal at Agniteertham will washout one's sins of life time. It is visited by the followers of Lord Shiva as well as Vishnu, whose incarnation was lord Rama.

The sea here is very calm and ideal for bathing.

At a distance of 2 km from Rameswaram Railway Station, Ramanathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple located on Rameswaram Island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the top pilgrimage sites in India, and among the must include places in Rameswaram Tour Packages.

Ramanathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve jyotirlinga temples in India. It is also recognized as one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, which are revered sites glorified by the Nayanars (Shaivite poet-saints) such as Appar, Sundarar, and Sambandar through their devotional songs. Additionally, it is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage destinations. The religious importance of this temple can be seen from the popular belief according to which a visit to pilgrimage Kashi is incomplete without a visit to Rameswaram temple.

The temple's legend is closely linked to Lord Rama from the Indian epic, the Ramayana. According to tradition, .....

At a distance of 18 km from Rameswaram, Dhanushkodi, Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the must-include places in Rameswaram heritage packages.

Dhanushkodi is located at the southern tip of Pamban Island, separated from the mainland by the Palk Strait, approximately 24 kilometers west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The town was entirely devastated by the Rameswaram cyclone in 1964 and has remained uninhabited since that disaster. The only remnant of the cyclone is the Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple. Following the storm, the Government declared the town as Ghost town and unfit for living. Although devoid of inhabitants, Dhanushkodi continues to attract tourists due to its significant historical and mythological associations.

The name Dhanushkodi translates to 'Tip of the Bow'. The location known as 'Arichal Munai' marks the convergence of the Indian .....

At a distance of 10 km from Rameswaram Railway Station, the Kodanda Rama Temple is a Hindu temple situated on the way to Dhanushkodi. It is one of the must-include places in Rameswaram family packages.

Kodandarama Swamy Temple is a sacred site dedicated to the Hindu deity Rama. It is recognized as one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethrams within the Vaishnavite tradition. This historic temple is believed to be more than 1000 years old and is notable for having survived the devastating cyclone of 1964, which had ruined much of the town of Dhanushkodi.

Constructed on an elevated platform, the Kodanda Ramar Temple likely escaped the cyclone's destruction due to its height. The temple extends into the sea and is accessible via an elevated road, surrounded by water. This ancient site holds significant importance as it is the location where Lord Rama performed the coronation of Ravana's brother, Vibhishana.

The presiding .....

At a distance of 3 Kms from Rameshwaram Railway Station (around two kilometer from Ramanathaswamy Temple / Rameshwaram Temple), Five faced Hanuman Temple has mythological evidence where Hanuman showed his profile with five faces.

The idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Hanuman, which are brought from Dhanushkodi during the cyclone of 1964, are kept here. The 'floating stones', which were used to build the Sethu Bandhanam (bridge) in Ramayana, are also kept in the temple.

There is floating stone outside the temple which was used to create the bridge on the sea as prescribed by our Indian mythology.

At a distance of 6 km from Rameswaram Railway Station, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial is a memorial located in Peikarumbu, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the must-include places in Rameswaram heritage tour packages.

Spanning an area of 2.11 acres, the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Memorial honors the legacy of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India. This memorial was designed and constructed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as a tribute to Kalam, often referred to as India's missile man, and also showcasing the rich cultural heritage and ethnic diversity of the nation. The official inauguration took place in 2017, led by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India.

As a representation of national unity, the memorial combines elements of Mughal and Indian architectural styles. It features three entrances, with the main entrance resembling the India Gate, .....

Overnight Stay in Rameshwaram

DAY 2 : RAMANATHAPURAM SIGHTSEEING& TRAVEL TO MADURAI

Resume Rameshwaram Sightseeing

At a distance of 15 km from Ramanathapuram, and 65 km from Rameshwaram, Devipattinam is a beautiful coastal village situated in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamilnadu. It is one of the popular Rameshwaram places to visit.

Devipatnam, along with Rameshwaram and Thiruppullani are associated with the Hindu sacred epic Ramayana. Also known as Navapashanam, this holy town is famous for the Navagraha Temple. According to the legend, Lord Rama when going to war to kill Ravana had worshipped navagrahas by installing nine different stones, each symbolizing the nine celestial bodies to calmed the sea. It is said that since then, 9 navagraha stones are located in the sea, at a distance of about 100 meters from the seashore. These can be seen in the morning when the level of seawater is low; however in the evenings when the tides are high, most of the navagraha stones are submerged in the water.

This small .....

At a distance of 15 km from Ramanathapuram, and 66 km from Rameshwaram, Thirupullani is a temple town situated near Rameshwaram. It is one of the prominent places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu, and among the must-visit places during your Rameshwaram Trip.

The town is known for Aadi Jagannatha Perumal Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Popularly known as Thirupullani Temple, it is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples of Lord Vishnu. It is also known as Dharbasayanam as Rama took rest on a couch of grass at this place. Other names of this place are Thiruvadanai, Pularanyam, Adhisethu and Ratnaharam.

This ancient temple not only attracts visitors because of its sacredness but also for its historical background and architectural excellence. Built during the reign of Cholas, various contributions were made to this temple during Pandyan rule and the rule of Sethupathy Kings. It is now maintained by the Hindu Religious and Endowment .....

At a distance of 70 km from Rameshwaram and 15 km from Ramanathapuram. Uthirakosamangai is famous for an ancient Siva temple considered to be 3000 years old. This is the place where Siva transferred the secrets of Vedas to Parvati. Uthiram means (updesham) kosam (secrets) Parvati (Mangai) hence this place is known as Uthira Kosa Mangai.

The main deity here is Mangalanathar (Siva) and his consort is Mangleshwari. The main attraction of this temple is a statue of Natarajar made of emerlad which is about 51/2 feet tall. This idol is known as Margatha Natarajar and the deity is always covered with sandal paste. Only in the Tamil month of Margazhi on Tiruvathira nakshtram the sandal paste gets removed and there is abhishekam for the idol and this special darshan is known as Arudhra darishanam.There is a Nandi just outside the sanctum and a bigger Nandi in the outer prakaram known here as Pradosha Nandi. Special poojas are conducted .....

Travel from Rameshwaram to Madurai