High medieval · Hindu · India

Ramanathaswamy Temple

இராமநாதசுவாமி கோயில்

Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu · 9.2881°, 79.3174°

Shiva (Ramanathaswamy)PandyaDravidaJyotirlingaChar DhamPaadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
2000 BCE
Ramayana tradition; linga consecrated by Rama
Standing structure
12th–18th c. (great corridor 18th c., Sethupathis)
patron: Pandyas, Jaffna kings, Sethupathis of Ramnad

History & significance

Where the Char Dham and the twelve Jyotirlingas intersect: the island shrine at the tip of the Rama Setu, whose third corridor — about 1.2 km of continuous pillared perspective — is the longest temple corridor in the world. Pilgrims bathe at 22 tirtha wells before darshan, closing the Kashi–Rameswaram axis of Indian pilgrimage.

Sthala katha — the legend

Returning from Lanka, Rama sought to absolve the killing of Ravana, a brahmin. Hanuman was sent to Kailasa for a linga; when he was delayed, Sita shaped one of sand. Both are enshrined — Hanuman's Vishwalinga is honoured with first worship, softening his disappointment.

Reaching there

Pamban rail/road bridge from mainland; Madurai airport ~170 km.

Official site ↗Open in Google Maps ↗Wikipedia ↗View on the atlas map

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-26 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Pandya