The Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the most sacred shrines of the Hindus in India. The Jyotirlingam at the Ramanathaswamy temple is the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. It is measured as holy as Banaras/Kashi. The Ramanathaswamy temple is located on the Rameshwaram Island, off the Sethu coast of Tamil Nadu. According to myths, this temple is linked with Ramayana and the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana.

The Ramanathaswamy temple is extremely much respected, as it is supposed that Lord Rama himself built the temple. According to the myths, after killing Ravana Lord Rama returned to India and offered worship to Lord Shiva at Rameshwaram to expiate the sin of killing the demon King. Lord Rama directed Hanuman to carry the lingam from Kailasha within a certain time but Hanuman to obtain delayed and Sita had to organize one of sand, before the positive hour. It is believed that this is the same Linga of Sri Ramanatha in the temple.      

 
Shrines at the Ramanathaswamy Temple

In the major sanctum at the temple there is the Linga of Sri Ranganatha. It is the similar one, which Lord Rama had sanctified. The Vimana is three storeys high and contain images of Hanuman, Agastya Linga and the Gandhamadhana Linga. The Linga of Vishvanatha, which is supposed to be bringing by Hanuman, is enshrined in another sanctum to the north. Different shrine houses the image of Visalakshi, the Consort of Visvanatha while Parvathavardhani, the consort of Ramanatha is protecting in a sanctum to his right.

How to Reach the Ramanathaswamy Temple

By Air
The adjacent airport is Madurai (167 Km), linked by flights with Bombay, Calicut and Madras.

By Rail
Rameshwaram is connected by rail to Chennai, Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore.

By Road
Rameshwaram is linked by expected bus services with Kanykumari, Karaikudi, Chennai, Madurai, Ramanathapuram and several other cities of Tamilnadu and neighboring states.