India is a land of pilgrimage and Rameswaram is a must see for anybody having a religious inclination. Located in the Ramanathapuram District of Tamil Nadu, Rameswaram constitutes one of the Char Dhams (four holy sites) that, according to the Hindu Mythology must be visited in order to attain Moksha (salvation). It is perhaps the most resourceful of all the pilgrimage tourisms of India.

Rameswaram is located in the Pamban Island in the Gulf of Mannar. This appears at the very tip of the Indian Peninsula. The island of Rameswaram is typically conch shaped and has a surface area of 61.8 square kilometer. It is connected to the mainland of India by the Pamban Bridge or the Annai Indira Gandhi Bridge.

Rameswaram, also referred to as “Varanasi of the South” is a renowned pilgrimage destination for both the Shaivites as well as the Vaishnavites. The principle deity here, i.e. the idol of Sri Ranganatha/ Ramanathaswamy is considered to be one of the 12 Jyotirlingams of Lord Shiva in India.

This pilgrimage of Rameswaram has a number of histories to tell. According to Legend, this temple has been built by Lord Rama himself, who had defeated the Sea God at this point and had built a bridge to reach Lanka with a mission to rescue his consort Sita, from the clutches of her abductor Ravana. Some even claim that this is the precise spot where Ravana had been defeated and annihilated by Rama. After the war, Lord Rama is also said to have performed a thanksgiving Yagna to Lord Shiva for his success in the battle.