Rameswaram is city of Rama,it is the place where Sita
proved her purity by entering in fired funeral pyre by orders of Lord Rama,
after rescuing her from the clutches of the demon
king Ravana. According to
legend, after killing Ravana Lord Rama returned with his consort Goddess Sita
to India first stepping on the shores of Rameswaram.
proved her purity by entering in fired funeral pyre by orders of Lord Rama,
after rescuing her from the clutches of the demon
king Ravana. According to
legend, after killing Ravana Lord Rama returned with his consort Goddess Sita
to India first stepping on the shores of Rameswaram.
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This is my third travelogue in this series related to
Rameswaram, Pamban Bridge, and Dhanuhkodi. Pamban Bridge is the entry point of
Rameswaram. Do you
remember a scene of film Chennai express: Shahrukh Khan with Deepika Padukone
having a ride over Pamban Bridge with a song…..?
Rameswaram, Pamban Bridge, and Dhanuhkodi. Pamban Bridge is the entry point of
Rameswaram. Do you
remember a scene of film Chennai express: Shahrukh Khan with Deepika Padukone
having a ride over Pamban Bridge with a song…..?
“Kashmir tu main kanyakumari
Fifty-fifty har situation mien hissedari”
Since
then beauty of Pamban Bridge and Rameswaram was freezed in my dream. On googling
I found that this Pamban Bridge is in Rameswaram.
then beauty of Pamban Bridge and Rameswaram was freezed in my dream. On googling
I found that this Pamban Bridge is in Rameswaram.
Incidentally,
last year on a trip to Hyderabad, at
Agra Cant Railway station ,I purchased book “Agni ki udan-Wings of Fire” Autography of AP J
Abd-u-l kalam,Former President of India.
I finished this book in 25 hours journey of Hyderabad.
last year on a trip to Hyderabad, at
Agra Cant Railway station ,I purchased book “Agni ki udan-Wings of Fire” Autography of AP J
Abd-u-l kalam,Former President of India.
I finished this book in 25 hours journey of Hyderabad.
Very interesting to know that: Rameswaram was native
place of APJ Abdul Kalam. His father was a boat owner and imam of
a local Masjid, Who owned a ferry that, took Hindu pilgrims back and forth between Rameswaram and the
now uninhabited Dhanushkodi.
place of APJ Abdul Kalam. His father was a boat owner and imam of
a local Masjid, Who owned a ferry that, took Hindu pilgrims back and forth between Rameswaram and the
now uninhabited Dhanushkodi.
So one fine day I reached Rameswaram. There
were plenty of autos available outside station.Hired an auto for advance booked
hotel Teertham (Tamil Nadu Tourism Corporation Hotel).
Hotel Teertham is standing just at one side of Arab
Sagar at a short distance
from Agnee Teertham Mandir. After dinner in dinning
hall of hotel, other members slept. I took my camera and walked to Agniteertham
Mandir. It was dark late night but, many devotees were sill there to perform
religious rituals.I clicked some shots and soon back to my room.
were plenty of autos available outside station.Hired an auto for advance booked
hotel Teertham (Tamil Nadu Tourism Corporation Hotel).
Hotel Teertham is standing just at one side of Arab
Sagar at a short distance
from Agnee Teertham Mandir. After dinner in dinning
hall of hotel, other members slept. I took my camera and walked to Agniteertham
Mandir. It was dark late night but, many devotees were sill there to perform
religious rituals.I clicked some shots and soon back to my room.
So next early morning after getting fresh and
charging energy with breakfast in dining hall of Hotel,We were ready with my
Canon 600 D, to roam on streets of Rameswaram. Naturally first place of visit was
Agni Teertham Temple.
charging energy with breakfast in dining hall of Hotel,We were ready with my
Canon 600 D, to roam on streets of Rameswaram. Naturally first place of visit was
Agni Teertham Temple.
Thousand’s of devotes were in this area, many of them were
busy in holy dip in soft and calm water of sea; some were busy in ritual’s and
pujas. Eastern Sky was painted pink by rising Sun.
Pandits and pujaris were blowing Conch with controlled
breath, the primordial sound of “Om” emanates from it. This eternal
sound is the origin of all Vedas. All knowledge enshrined in the Vedas is an
elaboration of the omnipresent sublime sound of Om. It was this sound that was
chanted by the Lord before manifesting the cosmos. It represents the creation
and the Truth behind it.
breath, the primordial sound of “Om” emanates from it. This eternal
sound is the origin of all Vedas. All knowledge enshrined in the Vedas is an
elaboration of the omnipresent sublime sound of Om. It was this sound that was
chanted by the Lord before manifesting the cosmos. It represents the creation
and the Truth behind it.
Agni Theertham Temple in Rameswaram
The eastern sea shore opposite to the Ramanathaswamy
temple is named as Agni Theertham. Every day thousands of pilgrims took bath in
this holy sea .Holistic rituals such as prohithams, yangnya( yaham), tharpanam
(ritual for the ancestors who were dead) has been performed in the shores of Agni Theertham.
temple is named as Agni Theertham. Every day thousands of pilgrims took bath in
this holy sea .Holistic rituals such as prohithams, yangnya( yaham), tharpanam
(ritual for the ancestors who were dead) has been performed in the shores of Agni Theertham.
Mythical story of Agni Theertham:
After
rescuing his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, Lord Rama told
her wife Sita in a suspicion tone. “Sita I’ve rescued you from my enemy Ravan,
and I’ve done my duty and satisfied the demands of honor, you may have been
touched by the Ravana, and how I can know that you are pure” and he
distrust her purity.
rescuing his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, Lord Rama told
her wife Sita in a suspicion tone. “Sita I’ve rescued you from my enemy Ravan,
and I’ve done my duty and satisfied the demands of honor, you may have been
touched by the Ravana, and how I can know that you are pure” and he
distrust her purity.
Sita
got angry over Rama because of his suspicion and told to the Rama’s brother
Lakshman that “Lakshman!, put a funeral pyre! I intend to enter into the
flames” .Lakshman put a pyre in order to respect the words of his brother’s
wife, Rama neither stops her nor did he say anything to her. Sita enters
into the flames of fire.
Instead
of burning her into ashes, fire god Agni appeared before Lord Rama and said
“Ram! Sita is pure, chaste and Sinless, you took her to your abode Ayodhya with
you and rule the country with her”.
of burning her into ashes, fire god Agni appeared before Lord Rama and said
“Ram! Sita is pure, chaste and Sinless, you took her to your abode Ayodhya with
you and rule the country with her”.
Because of touching a chaste, pure and sinless women
fire god Agni got a sin; He prays to Lord Shiva and took a bath in the sea in
Rameswaram to vanquish his sin. The place he diminishes his sin by took a
bath is called as Agni Theertham.
fire god Agni got a sin; He prays to Lord Shiva and took a bath in the sea in
Rameswaram to vanquish his sin. The place he diminishes his sin by took a
bath is called as Agni Theertham.
After a visit of Agni Teertham Temple and Arab Sagar, our next
destination was Sri
Ramanathaswamy Temple which is at a distance of 1.5 Km from here
destination was Sri
Ramanathaswamy Temple which is at a distance of 1.5 Km from here
Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the sacred Char Dhams temples of
India. This holy shire is honored pilgrimage center due to its close
association with Lord Rama and famous epic Ramayana. It is a place where, Lord
Rama worshiped the Shiva Lingam and makes it one of the prime 12
Jyotirlingams. The devotees have to cover the Pamban Bridge to cover this
coastline of Tamil Nadu.
Mythical story of Sri
Ramanathaswamy Temple—According to the Ramayana, Rama, the seventh avatar of
the god Vishnu, prayed to the god Shiva to absolve him of the sin of
killing a Brahman, committed during his war against the demon
king Ravana in Sri Lanka. Ravana is believed as a
great grandson of Brahma, and also he is a son of Brahman.
As advised by by
rishi agashthya Rama decides to install a shivalinga on the shore of Rameswaram
and perform the rituals mentioned by saint to wash off the Brahmahatti dosha.
The auspicious time for performing the rituals were fixed, Rama sent Hanuman to
The Mount Kailas to fetch a Shiva Linga. The time moves on, the auspicious time
for the installation of linga was getting nearer; But Hanuman was not yet
reached.
rishi agashthya Rama decides to install a shivalinga on the shore of Rameswaram
and perform the rituals mentioned by saint to wash off the Brahmahatti dosha.
The auspicious time for performing the rituals were fixed, Rama sent Hanuman to
The Mount Kailas to fetch a Shiva Linga. The time moves on, the auspicious time
for the installation of linga was getting nearer; But Hanuman was not yet
reached.
After the rituals
had completed Hanuman returns from Kailash with two Lingas. He is disappointed
that the ceremony is already over. In anger, he tries to uproot the sand Linga
with his tail, but he can’t able to did so, He fell in the ground with his tail
broke (the place he fell in the ground with damage in his tail is called as Hanuma kund.
had completed Hanuman returns from Kailash with two Lingas. He is disappointed
that the ceremony is already over. In anger, he tries to uproot the sand Linga
with his tail, but he can’t able to did so, He fell in the ground with his tail
broke (the place he fell in the ground with damage in his tail is called as Hanuma kund.
Rama pacified
Hanuman and installed a Linga brought by Hanuman from Kailas to the left of
Ramalinga, and ordered that all pujas be first performed for this Linga, called
Vishwalinga. This priority in puja is followed till today.
Hanuman and installed a Linga brought by Hanuman from Kailas to the left of
Ramalinga, and ordered that all pujas be first performed for this Linga, called
Vishwalinga. This priority in puja is followed till today.
The second linga
brought by hanuman is installed near the Hanuman Temple inside Ramanathaswamy
temple and referred by the name “Athma linga”. The linga
installed by Rama is called as Ramanathaswamy, and
the moolavar, main deity of the temple.
brought by hanuman is installed near the Hanuman Temple inside Ramanathaswamy
temple and referred by the name “Athma linga”. The linga
installed by Rama is called as Ramanathaswamy, and
the moolavar, main deity of the temple.
After performing
the rituals and taking bath in the Teerthas Rama with his crew flew to Ayodhya
by pushpaka vimana.
the rituals and taking bath in the Teerthas Rama with his crew flew to Ayodhya
by pushpaka vimana.
House of Kalam
Located at the Mosque Street in Rameswaram, this was the house where APJ
Abdul Kalam, son of Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma was born. His father Jainulabdeen
was a boat owner and Ashiamma a housewife. The
son of this boat owner grew up to become one of India’s most respected
scientists and later, a revered President. The
place just oozes with inspiration and exudes an indomitable, totally
insurmountable wave of positivity and
determination..
Abdul Kalam, son of Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma was born. His father Jainulabdeen
was a boat owner and Ashiamma a housewife. The
son of this boat owner grew up to become one of India’s most respected
scientists and later, a revered President. The
place just oozes with inspiration and exudes an indomitable, totally
insurmountable wave of positivity and
determination..
Photography is not allowed inside the house. This place is
absolutely worth the visit, mainly for the vibe it gives you – that if a man
from such a humble, small hut in a remote area of India can make it to the
Rashtrapati Bhavan, and anything on earth is possible through sheer sincerity,
hard work and determination!
absolutely worth the visit, mainly for the vibe it gives you – that if a man
from such a humble, small hut in a remote area of India can make it to the
Rashtrapati Bhavan, and anything on earth is possible through sheer sincerity,
hard work and determination!
Here I am ending this “Travelogue of Rameswaram: Where
Sita proved her purity by entering in a burning funeral pyre”. Actually
Rameswaram is a holy city famous for temples; the land of Lord Ram.It has
nothing special food to mention. So finally we were back to home with a trip to cherish
forever with camera full of memories.
Sita proved her purity by entering in a burning funeral pyre”. Actually
Rameswaram is a holy city famous for temples; the land of Lord Ram.It has
nothing special food to mention. So finally we were back to home with a trip to cherish
forever with camera full of memories.
Written with help of Wikipedia and
materials available on net, photographed and posted by Engr Maqbool Akram.
materials available on net, photographed and posted by Engr Maqbool Akram.
