The small city of Rameshwaram in the state of Tamil Nadu is a perfect holiday destination besides being a place with a religious fervor. It is a part of Char Dham, a group of four sacred cities, and thus holds an important place among the pilgrimages in India. However, the city is not just a place you must visit for spiritual reasons as several other attractions make Rameshwaram an ideal holiday destination.
The city is located in the sea region of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserves and is known as the Island City because of its location. When you set foot in this holy city you are welcomed by a cool breeze with a hint of salty water, and the sight of temples, beaches, and never-ending sea; everything that you can plan to see with your Rameshwaram Local sightseeing tour packages.
When you visit a city, you want to include all the top tourist attractions to your itinerary with perfect time management. You want to arrange for your accommodation and travel arrangements within the city beforehand and all this is taken care of with Rameshwaram Local sightseeing packages.
The top places covered in your trip include Shri Ramanathaswamy Temple, Kothandaramaswamy Temple, Five faced Hanuman Temple, Lakshmana Tirtham, and Villoondi Tirtham among some of the religious spots.
For those seeking to relax with the sound of waves, there is Ariyaman beach, Dhanuskodi beach, and Kunthu Kal Beach. If you are traveling with family, kids would love to drop in at Sea World Aquarium and the Water Bird Sanctuary. Some other places that will make the trip to Rameshwaram complete include Adam’s Bridge, Indira Gandhi Bridge, and Kalam National Memorial.
Places to visit in Rameshwaram Local Sightseeing Package are:
1. Ramanathaswamy Temple
The very first thing you would want to see when you visit Rameshwaram is Ramanathaswamy Temple which is not just popular among devotees but also among tourists because of its magnificent architecture. The temple also goes by the name of Rameshwaram Temple.
Built in the Dravidian style this temple is known for being home to the Lingas, which are made up of stone, sand, and salt, along with few other elements. They were installed by Lord Rama and there are two of these lingams in this temple; Ramalingam and Shivalingam.
There used to be around 112 ponds around this temple out of which only 12 remain today. One of the unique features of this temple is its pillared corridor which is the second largest in the world and is resplendent with bright colors. Don’t miss the ceiling of this corridor which is beautifully ordained with colors.
2. Agni Tirtham
Agni Tirtham is located to the east of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple and is the only tirtham outside the temple. It is believed that taking a bath in the sacred water at this tirtham will cleanse you of all your sins and this is why it is a part of 64 such sacred places in India.
Agni means fire and tirtham means holy water and there are two stories behind the name of this place. According to the first one, it was here that Lord Rama had taken a bath in the holy waters to seek penance for his sin of killing Ravana, who was a half Brahmin.
The second story talks about the Agnipariksha, a test which Goddess Sita had to undergo to prove her chastity to Lord Rama. Consequently, Lord Agni had to take a bath in the sea here for his sin of touching Goddess Sita.
Agni Tirtham is also used for performing the holy last rites amongst Hindus. Devotees take a dip here and then head to the Rameshwaram temple for a bath. The tiny boats floating in the water here are a marvelous sight to watch.
3. Lakshmana Tirtham
Located near the Ramanathaswamy temple, this is another one of the architectural delights that the city has to offer. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Lakshmana along with a pond here which is considered sacred. Devotees visit this tirtham for taking a dip in the holy waters of the pond.
4. Five faced Hanuman temple
The temple is one of the popular religious sites to visit in Rameshwaram and has a large statue of Lord Hanuman with five faces, an image which is quite a unique representation of this Hindu god. The idol is made out of a single piece of Senthooram Stone, which is considered very precious and auspicious.
It is believed that this temple also has the sacred stones used to build Rama Setu. This bridge was built by Lord Hanuman with the help of an army of monkeys when Lord Rama wanted to go to Lanka to rescue Goddess Sita from Ravana.
5. Villoondi Tirtham
Most places in Rameshwaram have a story attaching them to Lord Rama and rightly so since the holy book of Ramayana was conceived in this city. Villoondi Tirtham is another such religious site with an interesting story about it that draws tourists and devotees to it.
Legend has it that this is the place where Lord Rama had dipped his bow in the sand to get water from the earth for his wife Sita and that is why this place is known as Villoondi Tirtham, meaning buried bow. It offers the perfect spot to stand and admire the beauty of the sea while getting some beautiful pictures clicked with the serene turquoise backdrop.
6. Ariyaman Beach
It is one of the most popular beaches of Rameshwaram and yet is also one of the cleanest ones. The beach is also known as Khushi beach and the clear waters and soft sand make for a perfect picnic spot. You can enjoy water sports along with boating and swimming at this beach. Cottages at the beachfront are available for those who simply fall in love with this beach and wish to stay a little longer here.
7. Kalam National Memorial
Every Indian’s head bows with respect in front of the legendary scientist and former president Of India, Shri Abdul Kalam. The memorial pays respect to his life and works through replicas of his contribution to the nuclear science world.
This museum was an initiative undertaken by the Defense Research and Development Organization in 2015. There are replicas of missiles, rockets, and information about the Pokhran Nuclear Test. A must visit place for anyone who has an interest in space technology.
8. Adam’s bridge/ Ram Setu
We have all read and heard stories from Ramayana, a story of Lord Rama and his quest to rescue his wife from Ravana in Lanka. This quest talks about a bridge that connected India to Lanka and this historic bridge also known as Ram Setu connects Rameshwaram to the north-western coast of Sri Lanka.
It is made out of limestone shoals and historians and architects continue to debate about its origin and the construction technique used.
9. Dhanushkodi
Dhanuskodi is on the southern end of Rameshwaram and this little beach town is flanked by the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal from two sides. The confluence of the waters of these oceans is a sight to watch as they merge at the tip of the beach and you can almost see the high tides of the Bay of Bengal meet the low tides of the Indian Ocean.
Dhanushkodi is also known as the Ghost town since the only population of this town comprises 500 odd fishermen and their families. The town was deserted after a fierce storm that destroyed the town in 1964. This has not however made it any less popular among the tourists visiting Rameshwaram. The ruins in this town tell tales of the people who once lived there and the town still seems to be stuck in that period.
Dhanushkodi is popular for the Kothandaramaswamy Temple which is a temple that finds a mention in the holy book of Hindus Ramayana. This temple holds idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman and it is believed that this temple used to be where Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana resided. Don’t forget to visit the beach too in Dhanushkodi.
How to reach Rameshwaram
Rameshwaram is easily accessible from all prime cities of the country through an organized air, railways and roadways network. There is excellent connectivity between Rameshwaram and cities like Chennai, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, and Trichy.
Although Rameshwaram does not have its airport, the nearest airport is in Madurai, 163 km from here. State transport buses ply regularly between Rameshwaram and other cities of Tamil Nadu. You can also choose to travel by a private cab from top car rental companies in Rameshwaram and visit all the popular sightseeing places of Rameshwaram comfortably.
Best time to visit Rameshwaram
The best period to visit Rameshwaram is between October and April although the city experiences almost the same temperature all year round because of its tropical climate. The Monsoons in Rameshwaram start from July and last till September, making the weather humid with average rainfall. It is a good time to enjoy the greenery around the coastal area but difficult for sightseeing.
Winters from November to February are pleasant and bring down the temperature to 17 degrees Celsius which makes it easy to do sightseeing during the day.
