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Rameshwaram JyotirlingaRama Atones for Killing Ravana by Praying to ShivaRameshwaram is the southern most Jyotirlinga established from where Rama's bridge to Lanka commences. It has two lingams.
Rameshwaram is one of the Dwadasa Jyotirlingas. It is situated on an island off the coast of Tamil Nadu. The island covers an area of 61.8 square kilometers and is shaped like a conch. Rama’s bridge to Lanka was built from Rameshwaram. In fact this Jyotirlinga is named Rameshwaram because of Rama’s association with it. The TempleThe main entrance of the temple has a tower or gopuram 126 feet tall and has nine levels. The Western gopuram is also impressive. Both gopurams have intricate carvings. The temple has several shrines apart from the Jyotirlinga. The customary Nandi is huge, being 12 feet long and 9 feet high. The main architectural feature, however, is a 4000-foot-long pillared corridor with over 4000 pillars. This is said to be the longest corridor in the world. The prayers begin at 4 am and continue till 10 pm, when separate statues of Shiva and Parvati are put to bed on a golden swing. Important days in the worship calendar are Mahashivratri and the 15th day in the Hindu month of Ashadha. The unique feature of worship at Rameshwaram is that water from the Ganga is brought by devotees and used to bathe the lingams (there are two lingams at Rameshwaram). The devotees then carry sand from Rameshwaram and deposit it in the Ganga. This dual ritual completes the pilgrimage and is considered a blessing. The LegendThe legend of Rameshwaram is mentioned in scriptures like the Skanda Purana and the Shiva Purana. According to one legend Rama created the lingam before embarking to Lanka. Rama was worried about Ravana being a devotee of Shiva. Once he was about to drink water without first performing his daily prayers to Shiva when he heard a celestial proclamation that he was about to err. Rama immediately made a lingam out of sand and worshipped it. He asked for blessings in his impending war against Ravana and also requested Shiva to eternally reside in this lingam. The more popular legend has the lingam built on Rama’s return from Lanka after slaying Ravana. Ravana was a Brahmin and therefore it was a sin to kill him even in war. Hence Rama decided to atone for this sin at the place from where he began his battle march. Hanuman was dispatched to Varanasi to bring the image of the lingam from the Kashi temple there. However he was delayed and the auspicious moment was about to pass. Therefore Sita built a lingam of sand and the prayers were conducted. This lingam is referred to as Ramalingam. When Hanuman returned with the lingam from Varanasi he was peeved to find that the prayers were completed. To placate him Sita also installed the Kashilingam and decreed that this lingam should be worshipped before the Ramalingam. The HistoryTill the 12th century the lingams were protected by a thatched hut. Parakrama Bahu of Sri Lanka began the masonry construction, which was then continued by the local Setupathy rulers. Various rulers kept on adding to the temple till the 16th century. The long corridor was built in the 18th century. Some notable personalities who have contributed to the development of the temple are Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai, who restored the pagodas and completed the cloistered precincts, and the Nagarathars of Devakottai. Please check my course on Hindu Mythology Please check my articles on Mythology from India
The copyright of the article Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga in Hinduism is owned by Harsh Nevatia. Permission to republish Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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