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Ramanathaswamy Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the island of Rameswaram (Devnagri:रामेश्वरम, Tamil:இராமேஸ்வரம்) in the state of Tamilnadu, India. According to Shaiva mythology, Lord Rama is believed to have prayed to Lord Shiva here to absolve any sins that he might have committed during his war against the demon king Ravana. The temple along with Viswanathaswamy temple, Varanasi is one of the holiest Hindu shrines that has to be visited in one's lifetime and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas the holy abodes of Shiva.[1]
[edit] Temple structure
Like all ancient temples in South India, there is a high compound wall (madil) on all four sides of the temple premises measuring about 865 feet furlong from east to west and one furlongs of 657 feet from north to south with huge towers (Gopurams) at the east and west and finished gate towers on the north and south. The temple has striking long corridors in its interior, running between huge colonnades on platforms above five feet high.
The junction of the third corridor on the west and the paved way leading from the western gopuram to Setumadhava shrine forms a unique structure in the form of chess board and it is popularly known as Chokkattan Madapam where the Utsva deities are adorned and kept during the Vasntotsavam (Spring festival) and on the 6th day festival in Adi (July-August) and Masi (February-March) conducted by the Setupati of Ramnad.
The outer set of corridors is reputed to be the longest in the word being about 400 feet in each in the east and west and about 640 feet in north and south and inner corridors are about 224 feet in east and west and about 352 feet each in north and south. Their width varies from 15.5 feet to 17 feet in the east and west about 172 feet on the north and south with width varying 14.5 feet to 17 feet. The total length of those corridors is thus 3850 feet. There are about 1200 pillars in the outer corridor. Their height is about 30 feet from the floor to the center of the roof.
Third Corridor
| Outer Wing |
East-West |
690 feet |
| North-South |
435 feet |
| Inner wing |
East-West |
649 feet |
| North-South |
395 feet |
| Total number of pillars |
1212 |
| Height of corridor |
22 feet 7.5 inch |
The contribution of the kings of the Sethupathy dynasty to the temple was considerable. Especially to be remembered are the immense sums that were spent during the tenure of Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai towards the restoration of the Pagodas which were falling into ruins, the splendid Chockattan Mantapam or the cloistered precincts of the temple at Rameshwaram that he finally completed. The temple was repaired and substantial portions reconstructed by the Nagarathars of Devakottai, especially the Zamindari family.[citation needed]
[edit] Shrines in Rameswaram
- Ramanathaswami Shrine
- Viswanatha Shrine
- Visalakshi Shrine
- Parvathavardhini
- Utsava Idols
- Sayanagriha
- Perumal Shrine
- Santanaganpathi
- Sukravara Mandapam
- Mahaganapathi Shrine
- Subrahmanya Shrine
- Sethumadhava Shrine
- Ramalinga Pratishta
- Natraja Shrine
- Anjaneya Shrine
- Sethupathi Mandapam
- Anuppu Mandapam
- Mahalaxmi Shrine
- Kalyana Mandapam
- Nandi Mandapam
- Gandhamadanaparvatam
- Arilmigu Kothandaramar Temple
- ^ See: Chakravarti 1994, p 140
[edit] References
- Chakravarti, Mahadev (1994), written at Delhi, The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages (Second Revised ed.), Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-0053-2
[edit] External links
