RAMESWARAM - A Significant Place In Ramayana Epic | Journey To The Island Town | ft. Pamban Bridge click here

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A short trip onboard 06651 Madurai...
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- Ramewaram Express Special from Mandapam (in mainland India) to Rameswaram island, via the iconic Pamban Bridge.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMESWARAM IN THE RAMAYANA EPIC - Rameswaram is where Lord Rama built Rama Sethu across the sea to Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. After slaying Ravana, subsequently, Lord Rama returned here and offered his repentance prayer to Lord Siva to absolve his sins that he had committed by slaying Ravana. This legend is the main reason for Rameswaram to become one of the major religious destinations in India. The name of the place is derived from a Sanskrit word which literally means "The place where Eswara was worshipped by Rama".

Rameswaram holds a very significant place in the Hindu mythology and pilgrimages. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas (The Radiant Sign of The Almighty Siva) and one among the Char dhams (the four abodes) of India which are highly revered by Hindus. According to the Hindu mythology, the Theerthams here can absolve the sins of one's past!

Rameswaram is given a very high stature in Hindu mythology. It is believed that a pilgrimage to Varanasi is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameswaram. . The town along with the Ramanathaswamy temple is one of the holiest Hindu Char Dham (four divine sites) sites comprising Badrinath, Puri and Dwarka.

Ramanathaswamy temple is the most attractive site in the holy city of Rameswaram. This is one of the very few temples in India which is built in the Dravidian style of architecture and also has the world's second largest pillared corridor in the world! Of the 24 important sacred Theerthas ,14 are present within the temple precincts. The temple is also one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines.

Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town in the southern most tip of Pamban island. Lord Rama built the Rama Setu here. The pilgrims usually bath in the ocean here before completing the pilgrimage to Rameswaram. The spot is considered a sacred confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.

It is south-east of Pamban and is about 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The town was destroyed during the 1964 Rameswaram cyclone and remains uninhabited in the aftermath. Today only a few vendors and restaurants can be seen at Dhanushkodi during the day along with the ruins of the long destroyed town.

Kothandaramaswamy Temple is a ruin of the temple described in Ramayana. It is believed to be the residing spot of Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana. The five faced Hanuman Temple is another important temple in Rameswaram which has the famous five manifestations of Lord Hanuman. This famous idol is carved out of a large Senthooram Stone which was considered very precious in ancient times.

ABOUT PAMBAN BRIDGE - Pamban Bridge is a railway bridge which connects the town of Mandapam in mainland India with Pamban Island, and Rameswaram. Opened on 24 February 1914, it was India's first sea bridge, and was the longest sea bridge in India until the opening of the Bandra - Worli Sea Link in 2010. The rail bridge is, for the most part, a conventional bridge resting on concrete piers, but has a double-leaf bascule section midway, which can be raised to let ships and barges pass through. The railway bridge is located 12.5 metres (41 ft) above sea level and is 6,776 ft (2,065 m) long. The bridge consists of 143 piers and has a double-leaf bascule section with a Scherzer rolling type lift span that can be raised to let ships pass. Each half of the lifting span weighs 415 tonnes (457 tons). The two leaves of the bridge are opened manually using levers.

Plans for a bridge to connect to mainland was suggested in 1870 as the British Administration sought ways to increase trade with Ceylon. The construction began in August 1911 and was opened on 24 February 1914.

In 1988, a road bridge was also constructed parallel to the rail bridge. This road bridge is also known as Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge. The Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge connects the National Highway (NH 49) with the Rameswaram island. It stands on the Palk Strait and between the shores of Mandapam (a place on the Indian mainland) and Pamban (one of the fishing towns on Rameswaram island). It was inaugurated by then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 2 October 1988. This 2.345 km long bridge took close to 14 years to be completed.

There is more to Rameswaram than the holy spots! The serene and tranquil beaches here are sure to soothe your soul. India's first sea bridge, the Pamban bridge is an attraction on it's own. These features make Rameswaram one of the Major tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu. Go and get dipped in the serenity of Rameswaram!