Rameswaram

A Jyotirlinga pilgrimage site on Pamban Island, home to the grand corridors of Ramanathaswamy Temple and views out toward the Ram Setu shoals leading to Sri Lanka.

Rameswaram sits on Pamban Island at the southeastern tip of Tamil Nadu, India, facing Sri Lanka across the Palk Strait. It is one of Hinduism's four sacred abodes (Char Dham) and one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. According to the Ramayana, Rama worshipped Shiva here before leading his army of monkeys to build the Ram Setu bridge across the sea to attack Lanka, so the island is dotted with sacred sites linked to Rama, Sita and Hanuman. At its heart is Ramanathaswamy Temple, which has the longest temple corridor in India; pilgrims first bathe in the sea at Agni Theertham outside the east gate, then have water poured over them from each of the temple's 22 sacred wells. Dhanushkodi, in the island's southeast, was destroyed by a cyclone in 1964, leaving behind the ruins of a church and railway station; the road runs to Arichal Munai at the very end, where you can look out over the Ram Setu shoals leading to Sri Lanka. On the island's west side, the Pamban Bridge links it to the mainland: the old 1914 railway bridge has been retired, and India's first vertical-lift sea railway bridge opened in 2025. The town also has the former home of ex-President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and a memorial to him. The best season is October to April, though October to December brings heavy rain from the northeast monsoon; summers are hot and humid. Getting there: trains run directly from Chennai and Madurai to the island's station; the nearest airport is Madurai (about 170 km, a 3.5-hour drive). Plan on 1–2 days and get around the island by hired e-rickshaw or taxi. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside the temple (deposit them beforehand); men should wear long trousers or a dhoti, and women a long skirt or sari.

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