A fine example of late Dravidian architecture, this temple is most renowned for its magnificent corridors lined with massive sculptured pillars, noted for their elaborate design, style and rich carving. Legend has it that Rama sanctified this place by worshipping Siva here after the battle of Sri Lanka. Construction of the temple began in the 12th century AD and additions were made over the centuries by various rulers, so that today its gopuram is 53 m high. Only Hindus may enter the inner sanctrum.

One such wonder of religious architecture is the temple of Shiva standing at the southern tip of India in Rameshwaram. Looking at the imposing beauty of this temple, visiting foreign experts are inspired to say, “Indians built like titans and decorated their buildings like jewellers.” The practice of building ornate temples to commemorate victory or to express devotion to a specific deity began almost 1500 years ago in India.

One of 4 holiest temples of India, Rameshwaram is known for its majestic pillars and well-fashioned corridors. Also, being located near Madurai, the temple is visited by lakhs of pilgrims each year. Shaped in the form of a conch shell, it is spread over an area of 55 kms by 12 kms. The island is also surrounded by splendid coral reefs and has several beaches which attract a large number of tourists.

The major attraction of the island is the Ramanatha Swami temple, situated at the eastern end of the island, close to the sea. Dedicated to Shiva, this is one of the most important Shaivite shrines in India and one of the 12 jyotirlingas distributed all over India. The other 11 are: Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Somnath in Saurashtra, Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Vishwanath in Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, Grishneshwar in Ellora, Bhimashankar and Trimbakeshwar near Nasik in Maharashtra and Nagnath and Vaijnath in northern Maharashtra.

Built around the 12th century AD, the Rameshwaram temple, with its beautifully embellished gopurams and towers is a classic example of Dravidian architecture. Numerous wells, built in various areas in the temple environs, offer water which tastes different. This is a striking feature of the temple. There is a belief that the waters were collected from all the holy rivers of India varying from cool to lukewarm and brought to Rameshwaram.

Rameshwaram can be reached by road from Kanyakumari (315 km), Trichy (273 km) or Chennai (527 km). A train from Madurai is available. From Madurai airport, the temple is just 173 km.