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{{short description|Hindu temple in Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Ramanathaswamy Temple
| native_name = Arulmigu Sri Ramanathaswamy Tirukkoyil
| native_name_lang = 
| image = Ramanathaswamy temple7.JPG
| image_upright =
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu
| coordinates = {{coord|9.288106|79.317282|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = {{flagicon|IND}} [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Ramanathapuram District|Ramanathapuram]]
| location = [[Rameswaram]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Ramanathaswamy ([[Shiva]]) Parvatavardhini ([[Parvati]])<br> [[Rama]]
| primary_deity_Godess =
| utsava_deity_God =
| utsava_deity_Godess=
| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals =
| architecture = [[Tamil architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| established =
| creator = Pandya and Jaffna kings
| website = https://rameswaramramanathar.hrce.tn.gov.in/hrcehome/index_temple.php?tid=35671
}}
{{Char Dham}}
'''Ramanathaswamy Temple''' (''Rāmanātasvāmi Kōyil'') is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the [[Hindu]] god [[Shiva]] located on [[Rameswaram island]] in the state of [[Tamil Nadu]], India. It is one of the twelve [[Jyotirlinga]] temples. It is one of the 276 [[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]s, the sacred sites glorified by the [[Nayanars]] ([[Saivite|Shaivite]] poet-saints), [[Appar]], [[Cuntarar|Sundarar]], and [[Campantar|Sambandar]], with their songs. According to tradition, the ''[[lingam]]'' (an aniconic form of Shiva) of the Ramanathaswamy Temple was established and worshipped by [[Lord Ram|Rama]] before he crossed the bridge called [[Adam's Bridge|Rama Setu]] to the island kingdom of [[Lanka]], identified with [[Sri Lanka]]. It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites. The temple was expanded during the 12th century by the [[Pandya Dynasty]], and its principal shrine’s sanctum was renovated by [[Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan]] and his successor [[Gunaveera Cinkaiariyan]], monarchs of the [[Jaffna kingdom]]. The temple has the longest corridor among all the Hindu temples of India. It was built by King Muthuramalinga Sethupathy.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/king-rebel-remembered/article8415834.ece|title=King 'Rebel' remembered|newspaper=The Hindu|date=31 March 2016}}</ref><ref name=Meena/> The temple is considered a pilgrimage site for Shaivites, [[Vaishnavites]], and [[Smarthas|Smartas]].

==Legend==
In the [[Yuddha Kanda]] of the ''[[Ramayana]]'', on their journey back to [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]], Rama narrates to [[Sita]] the appearance and worship of Shiva in the form of a lingam on the island of Rameswaram before the construction of his bridge to Lanka. He describes the spot to be supremely sacred and capable of expiating major sins.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/valmiki-ramayana-gita-press-english |title=Valmiki Ramayana Gita Press English |pages=813 |language=English}}</ref>

In the ''[[Shiva Purana]]'', Rama propitiates Shiva on the shore of Rameswaram in the form of a lingam by the repetition of mantras, meditation, and dancing. Pleased, the deity appeared before Rama and granted his requested boon of victory over Ravana. Rama then requested the deity to remain on the island to sanctify the world and offer his grace to all people. The text states that the worship of the Rameshvara lingam offers worldly pleasures and salvation for its devotees.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Books |first=Kausiki |url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Siva_Purana_Koti_Rudra_Samhitha_English/hfZLEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=&pg=PT182&printsec=frontcover |title=Siva Purana: Koti Rudra Samhitha: English Translation only without Slokas |date=2021-10-24 |publisher=Kausiki Books |pages=182-184 |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
According to Firishta, [[Malik Kafur]], the head general of [[Alauddin Khalji]], the ruler of [[Delhi Sultanate]], reached Rameswaram during his political campaign in spite of stiff resistance from the [[Pandya dynasty|Pandyan princes]] in the early 14th century.{{sfn|Mehta|1986|p=157}}{{sfn|Sharon|Bosworth|Dozel|B.|1987|p=271}}{{sfn|Aiyangar|1991|p=112}} He erected a mosque by name Alia al-Din Khaldji in honour of victory of [[Islam]].{{sfn|Mehta|1986|p=157}}{{sfn|Sharon|Bosworth|Dozel|B.|1987|p=271}} The records left by the court historians of the Delhi Sultanate state that Malik Kafur raided [[Madurai]], [[Chidambaram]], [[Srirangam]], [[Vriddhachalam]], Rameswaram and other sacred temple towns, destroyed the temples which were sources of gold and jewels. He brought back enormous loot from Dwarasamudra and the Pandya kingdom to [[Delhi]] in 1311.<ref name="Ernst2004p109">{{cite book|author=Carl W. Ernst| title=Eternal Garden: Mysticism, History, and Politics at a South Asian Sufi Center| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9bNAAQAAIAAJ|year=2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-566869-8|page=109}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Sarojini Chaturvedi|title=A short history of South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qXcwAQAAIAAJ| year=2006|publisher= Saṁskṛiti|isbn=978-81-87374-37-4|page=209}}</ref><ref name="Eraly2015chid">{{cite book|author=Abraham Eraly|title=The Age of Wrath: A History of the Delhi Sultanate|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vyEoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT155| year=2015|publisher= Penguin Books|isbn=978-93-5118-658-8|pages=155–156}}</ref>

The temple in its current form is believed to have been built during the 17th century, while Fergusson believes the small [[vimana]] in the west corridor belongs to the 11th or 12th century.<ref name="Cole"/> The temple is said to have been sanctioned for construction by King Kizhavan Sethupathi or [[Raghunatha Kilavan]]. The contribution of the [[Jaffna kingdom|Jaffna kings of Pandya Dynasty]] to the temple was considerable.<ref name="Bandopadhyay"/> King [[Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan]] (1380–1410 CE) shipped stone blocks from [[Koneswaram temple]], [[Trincomalee]] to renovate the temple's sanctum sanctorum. Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan's successor Gunaveera Cinkaiariyan (Pararacacekaran V), a trustee at Rameswaram who also oversaw structural development of this temple and the promotion of Saivite beliefs donated part of his revenue to Koneswaram. Especially to be remembered are the immense sums that were spent during the tenure of [[Pradani Muthirulappa Pillai]] towards the restoration of the Pagodas which were falling into ruins and the splendid Chockattan Mantapam or the cloistered precincts of the temple at Rameswaram that he finally completed. The rulers of Sri Lanka also contributed to the temple; [[Parakramabahu I of Polonnaruwa|Parakrama Bahu]] (1153–1186 CE) was involved in the construction of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.<ref name="Bandopadhyay"/> Also, Sri Lankan king Nissanka Malla, contributed to the temple's development by making donations and sending workers.<ref>Sri Lanka in Early Indian Inscriptions, p. 5</ref>

Pappakudi a village was donated as a grant to Rameshwaram Temple and one Deva Venkala Perumal Ramanathar of Madurai Nayak king in (1667 CE) by Perumal Servaikaran Son of Sokkappan Servaikarar who belongs to Pandiyur. They are local Chieftain under Tirumalai Regunatha Sethupathy Rein in Ramnad Kingdom. The grant details are published by Government Press, Madras Presidency for Archeological Survey of India in 1885. Along with Pappakudi, Anandur and Urasur villages are also donated to Rameshwaram Temple. These Villages falls under Melaimakani Seermai province of Radhanallur Division.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burgess |first1=Jas |last2=Sastri |first2=S. M. (Tr.) |title=Archaeological Survey of Southern India, Vol. IV; Tamil and Sanskrit Inscriptions, with some Notes on Village Antiquites, collected chiefly in the South of the Madras Presidency |date=1886 |publisher=E. Keys, the Government Press |location=Madras}}</ref>

The temple is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites and has several historical references about it. The [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Maratha kings]] who ruled [[Thanjavur]] established ''chatrams'' or rest houses throughout [[Mayiladuthurai]] and [[Rameswaram]] between 1745 and 1837 CE and donated them to the temple.<ref name="M.">[[#M.|M. 2003]], p. 154</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:Rameswaram temple (11).jpg|right|thumb|Image of the east and west temple towers]]
The primary deity of the temple is Ramanathaswamy ([[Shiva]]) in the form of ''[[lingam]]''.<ref name=Meena/> There are two lingams inside the sanctum - According to tradition, one built by Rama from sand, residing as the main deity, called the Ramalingam, and the one brought by Hanuman from [[Kailash]], called the Vishvalingam.<ref name="Bandopadhyay"/><ref name="Singh">[[#Singh|Singh 2009]], p. 18</ref> Rama is said to have instructed that the Vishvalingam be worshipped first since it was brought by Hanuman—the tradition continues even today.<ref name="Bandopadhyay"/>

Like all ancient temples in [[South India]], there is a high compound wall (madil) on all four sides of the temple premises measuring about 865 feet furlong from east to west and one furlong of 657 feet from north to south with huge towers ([[Gopurams]]) to the east and the west and finished gate towers to the north and south. The temple has striking long corridors in its interior, running between huge colonnades on platforms above five feet high.<ref name="Cole">[[#Cole|Cole 1885]], pp. clxvi-clxvii</ref>

{{Multiple image
|total_width=800
|align=centre
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Plate 8. Procession Religieuse dans les Galeries du Convent de Ramisseram pres Ceylan (Juin 1841).jpg
|caption1=Historic image from 1841 of the temple corridor, as sketched by [[Alexey Saltykov (1806–1859)|Prince Alexey Saltykov]]
|image2=43Rameswaram The Great Corridor.jpg
|caption2=A historic image from 1913 of the temple corridor. The corridor is the longest for any Hindu temple in India
|image3=3rd Corridor, Ramnath Swamy Temple, Rameswarm.jpg
|caption3=A modern image of the temple corridor
}}

The second corridor is formed by sandstone pillars, beams, and ceiling. The junction of the third corridor on the west and the paved way leading from the western gopuram to the Setumadhava shrine forms a unique structure in the form of a chess board, popularly known as Chokkattan Madapam, where the [[Utsavar|Utsava deities]] are adorned and kept during the [[Vasanthotsavam]] (Spring festival) and on the 6th day festival in Adi (July–August) and Masi (February–March) conducted by the [[Sethupathi]] of [[Ramnad]].

The outer set of corridors is reputed to be the longest in the world, measuring about 6.9 m in height, 400 feet each in the east and west and about 640 feet in the north and the south. The inner corridors are about 224 feet each in the east and the west and about 352 feet each in the north and the south.<ref name="Ramamurthy"/> Their width varies from 15.5 feet to 17 feet in the east and west about 172 feet on the north and south with width varying 14.5 feet to 17 feet.<ref name="Bandopadhyay">[[#Bandopadhyay|Bandopadhyay]], pp. 88-89</ref><ref name="Ramamurthy"/> The total length of these corridors is thus 3850 feet. There are about 1212 pillars in the outer corridor.<ref name="Ramamurthy"/> Their height is about 30 feet from the floor to the center of the roof. The main tower or ''rajagopuram'' is 53 m tall.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|pages=11–12}}</ref> Most pillars are carved with individual compositions.<ref name="Ramamurthy">[[#T.|T. 2007]], p. 28</ref>
At the beginning, Ramanathaswamy Temple was a thatched shed. The present structure was the work of many individuals spread over a number of centuries. The pride of place in the establishment of the Temple goes to the Setupatis of Ramanathapuram. In the seventeenth century, Dalavai Setupati built a portion of the main eastern Gopuram. In the late eighteenth century, the world-famous third corridor was constructed by Muthuramalinga Setupati who lived for forty-nine years and ruled between 1763 and 1795. The corridor was called "Chokkatan Mandapam". The Mukhya Pradhani (Chief Minister) was Muthuirullappa Pillai and the Chinna Pradhani (Deputy Chief Minister) was Krishna Iyengar. The Setupati's statue and those of his two ''Pradhanis'' (ministers) can be seen at the western entrance to the third corridor.

The composite columns of [[Virabhadra]] holding sword and horn are found be additions of the Vijayanagara kings during the early 1500s. Similar columns of Virabhadra are built by Madurai Nayak kings in [[Adikesava Perumal Temple, Kanyakumari|Adikesava Perumal Temple]] at Thiruvattaru, [[Meenakshi Temple]] at [[Madurai]], [[Nellaiappar Temple]] at [[Tirunelveli]], [[Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi|Kasi Viswanathar temple]] at [[Tenkasi]], [[Krishnapuram Venkatachalapathy temple]], [[Soundararajaperumal temple, Thadikombu|Soundararajaperumal temple]] at [[Thadikombu]], [[Srivilliputhur Andal temple]], [[Srivaikuntanathan Permual temple]] at [[Srivaikuntam]], [[Tirupperunturai|Avudayarkovil]], [[Vaishnava Nambi and Thirukurungudivalli Nachiar temple]] at [[Thirukkurungudi]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Imperial Frontiers: Building Sacred Space in Sixteenth-Century South India|jstor=20619601|last=Branfoot|first=Crispin |journal=The Art Bulletin|volume=90|issue=2|date=1 June 2008|page=186|publisher=College Art Association|doi=10.1080/00043079.2008.10786389|s2cid=154135978}}</ref>

[[File:Ramanathaswamy Temple Rameswaram (2).jpg|thumb|150px|a shrine dedicated to [[Nandi (Hinduism)|Nandi]] (Nandishvara)]]

There are separate shrines for Ramanathaswamy and his consort goddess Parvathavardhini separated by a corridor.<ref name="Cole"/> There are separate shrines for the goddess [[Vishalakshi Temple|Vishalakshi]], the ''utsava'' images, ''sayanagriha'', [[Vishnu]] and [[Ganesha]]. The samadhi of the great Yogi [[Patanjali]] is said to be at this temple and there is a separate shrine for him here. There are various halls inside the temple, namely Anuppu Mandapam, Sukravara Mandapam, Setupati Mandapam, Kalyana Mandapam, and Nandi Mandapam.

===Temple Tanks===
{{main|Tirthas of Rameswaram}}
[[File:Ramesw1.jpg|right|thumb|Agni Theertham - the primary sea shore associated with the temple]]
There are sixty-four Tīrthas (holy water bodies) in and around the island of [[Rameswaram]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]].<ref name="jcmurali">[[#Murali|Murali 2000]], p. 574</ref> According to [[Skanda Purana|Skānda Purāṇa]], twenty-four of them are important.<ref name="skaanda24">[[#Setu|Setu Māhātmyam]], Adhyāya 2, verse 104</ref> Bathing in these Tīrthas is a major aspect of the pilgrimage to Rameswaram and is considered equivalent to penance.<ref>[[#Setu|Setu Māhātmyam]], Adhyāya 1, verse 24</ref> Twenty-two of the Tīrthas are within the [[Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram|Rāmanāthasvāmī Temple]].<ref name="seturaman">[[#Seturaman|Seturaman 2001]], p. 216</ref> The number 22 indicates the 22 arrows in Rama's quiver.<ref name="Singh"/> The first and major one is called Agni Theertham, the sea ([[Bay of Bengal]]).<ref name=Meena/>

Rameswaram is one of the few temples that has the distinction of being the stala, Murthy, Theertham. Ramanathaswamy Temple Theertham is very special. There are 22 theerthams in the form of a pond and a well. These 22 theerthams represent the 22 arrows of Sri Rama.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Top Ten Temple Towns of India|publisher=Mark Age Publication|first=S.C.|last=Karkar|location=Kolkota|isbn=978-81-87952-12-1|year=2009|page=38}}</ref>

==Significance today==

===Char Dham===
[[File:Shri Shankaracharya.jpg|right|thumb|[[Adi Sankara]], the guru of [[Advaita]], who is believed to have started the [[Char Dham]]s]]
The temple is one of the holiest [[Hindu]] ''[[Char Dham]]'' (four divine sites) sites comprising [[Badrinath]], [[Puri]], [[Dwarka]] and [[Rameshwaram]].<ref>Chakravarti 1994, p. 140</ref> Though the origins are not clearly known, the [[Advaita]] school of Hinduism established by [[Sankaracharya]], who created Hindu monastic institutions across India, attributes the origin of Char Dham to the seer.<ref>[[#Mittal|Mittal 2004]], p. 482</ref> The four monasteries lie across the four corners of India and their attendant temples are [[Badrinath Temple]] at Badrinath in the North, [[Jagannath Temple, Puri|Jagannath Temple]] at Puri in the East, [[Dwarkadheesh temple, Gujrat|Dwarakadheesh Temple]] at Dwarka in the West and Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram in the South. The temples are revered by the various spiritual traditions of Hinduism, such as [[Saivism]] and [[Vaishnavism]]. The Char Dham pilgrimage is an all Hindu affair.<ref name="Brockman">[[#Brockman|Brockman 2011]], pp. 94-96</ref> The journey across the four cardinal points in India is considered sacred by Hindus who aspire to visit these temples once in their lifetime.<ref name="Gwynne">[[#Gwynne|Gwynne 2008]], Section on Char Dham</ref> Traditionally the trip starts at the eastern end from Puri, proceeding in clockwise direction in a manner typically followed for circumambulation in Hindu temples.<ref name="Gwynne"/>

===Jyotirlinga===
As per the [[Shiva Purana]], once, [[Brahma]] (the god of creation) and [[Vishnu]] (the god of preservation) had an argument in terms of their supremacy in creation.<ref name="R.">[[#R.|R. 2003]], pp. 92-95</ref> To settle their dispute, [[Shiva]] pierced the three worlds as a huge and endless pillar of light called the ''jyotirlinga''. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. Brahma lied that he discovered the end of the pillar in his direction, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity. The ''jyotirlinga'' is regarded to be the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. The ''jyotirlinga'' shrines are believed to be the places where Shiva is said to have appeared as a fiery column of light.<ref name="Gwynne"/><ref>[[#Eck|Eck 1999]], p. 107</ref> Originally, there were believed to have been 64 ''jyotirlingas,'' of which the present 12 are considered to be sacred to Shiva.<ref name="R."/> Each of the twelve ''jyotirlinga'' sites take the name of the presiding deity - each considered a different manifestation of Shiva.<ref name="Lochtefeld">[[#Lochtefeld|Lochtefeld 2002]], pp. 324-325</ref> At all these sites, the primary image is the ''[[lingam]]'' representing the ''[[stambha]]'' pillar, symbolising the infinite nature of Shiva (without beginning or end).<ref name="Lochtefeld"/><ref name="E. U. Harding">[[#Harding|Harding 1998]], pp. 158-158</ref><ref name="paris_congress">[[#Vivekananda|Vivekananda]] Vol. 4</ref> The twelve ''jyotirlinga'' are [[Somnath temple|Somnath]] at [[Veraval]] in [[Gujarat]], [[Mallikarjuna Swamy|Mallikarjuna]] at [[Srisailam]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga|Mahakaleswar]] at [[Ujjain]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Omkareshwar]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Kedarnath Temple|Kedarnath]] in [[Himalayas]], [[Bhimashankar Temple|Bhimashankar]] in [[Maharashtra]], [[Kasi Viswanath Temple|Viswanath]] at [[Varanasi]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple|Triambakeshwar]] in Maharashtra, [[Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga, Deogarh|Vaidyanath]] at [[Deoghar]] in [[Jharkhand]], [[Nageshwar Temple, Dwarka|Nageswar]] at [[Dwarka]] in [[Gujarat]], Rameshwar at [[Rameswaram]] in [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Grishneshwar]] at [[Aurangabad, Maharashtra]].<ref name="R."/><ref name="Chaturvedi">[[#Chaturvedi|Chaturvedi 2006]], pp. 58-72</ref> This temple is the southernmost of all the twelve Jyotirlingas.<ref name=Diwakar>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India|first=Macherla|last=Diwakar|location=Chennai|year=2011|edition=1st|pages=158–9|isbn=978-93-83440-34-4|publisher=Techno Book House}}</ref>

==In the news==
The temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tnhrce.org/hrce_act_1959.html |title=Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 |access-date=3 August 2021 |archive-date=6 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206095720/http://www.tnhrce.org/hrce_act_1959.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The temple comes under the renovation and consecration of the 630 temples planned by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.<ref name="Zee">[[#Zee|Zee News 2012]]</ref> Temple authorities had planned to renovate and widen the pathways to the 22 holy ''theerthams'' of the temple.<ref name="Zee" /> The consecration of the temple was planned during 2013.<ref name="Zee" /> The temple is among those offering free meals under the Free Meals Scheme of the government, which provides meals to devotees of the temple. A pilgrim house is planned by the government to extend the scheme to more pilgrims.<ref name="Zee" />

==See also==
* [[Tirthas of Rameswaram]]
* [[Dhanushkodi]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin|30em}}
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* {{cite book|last=Mittal|first=Sushil|title=The Hindu World|year=2004|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=0-203-64470-0|ref=Mittal}}
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*{{cite book|last=Chakravarti|first=Mahadev|year=1994|title=The Concept of Rudra-Śiva Through The Ages|place=Delhi|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|edition=Second Revised|isbn=81-208-0053-2|ref=Chakravarti}}
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*{{cite book | last = Lochtefeld | first = James G. | title = The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M | year = 2002 | publisher = Rosen Publishing Group | isbn = 0-8239-3179-X | page = [https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch/page/n375 122] | url = https://archive.org/details/illustratedencyc0000loch | url-access = registration | ref = Lochtefeld }}
*{{cite book|title=Tamil Nadu: an unfinished task|pages=170|last=M.|first=Thangaraj|isbn=978-0-7619-9780-1|publisher=SAGE|year=2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P5uuxWfk8NIC&q=rameshwaram+temple&pg=PA154|ref=M.}}
*{{cite book |last1=Mehta |first1=Jaswant Lal |title=Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India: 1000-1526 A.D |date=1986 |publisher=Sterling Publishers |isbn=978-81-207-0573-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=82puAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}
*{{cite book |last= Murali |first= J. C.|title= Tamizhaga Sivatalangal |year=2000 |publisher= Chatura Padipakkam |location= Chennai|ref=Murali}}
*{{cite book|last=R.|first=Venugopalam|year=2003|title=Meditation: Any Time Any Where|place=Delhi|publisher=B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd.|edition=First|isbn=81-8056-373-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZtnNw_hiA9oC&q=jyotirlinga&pg=PT113|ref=R.}}
*{{cite book |title= Setu Māhātmyam (Skānda Purāṇa Book 3:Chapter 1 (Bramha Khaṇḍa:Setu Māhātmyam) )
|title-link= Skanda Purana|ref=Setu }}
*{{cite book |last= Seturaman |first= K|title= Rameswaram Koil |year=2001 |publisher= J. J. Publications |location= Madurai|ref=Seturaman}}
*{{cite book|title=Studies in Islamic History and Civilization: In Honour of Professor David Ayalon|last1=Sharon|first1=Moshe|first2=C.E.|last2=Bosworth|first3=E.Von|last3=Dozel|last4=B.|first4=Lewis|first5=C.H.|last5=Pellat|year=1987|publisher=BRILL|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0_wUAAAAIAAJ&q=rameswaram+history&pg=PA271|isbn=9789652640147}}
*{{cite book|title=Yatra2Yatra|last=Singh|first=Sanjay|publisher=Yatra2Yatra|page=18|year=2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kWqPwWpkhg0C&q=rameshwaram+temple&pg=PA18|isbn=978-81-908569-0-4|ref=Singh}}
*{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Sarina|year=2009|title=South India (Lonely Planet Regional Guide)|publisher=Lonely Planet|edition=5th|isbn=978-1-74179-155-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8KnLFpjEHpUC&q=ramanathaswamy+temple&pg=PA443|ref=Singh}}
*{{cite news|title=Shortage of priests at Rameswaram temple|author=S.P. Loganathan|newspaper=Deccan Chronicle|date=16 February 2012|access-date=19 February 2012|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/others/shortage-priests-rameswaram-temple-639|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111175904/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/others/shortage-priests-rameswaram-temple-639|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2023}}
*{{cite book|last=T.|first=Ramamurthy|year=2007|title=Engineering in Rocks For Slopes Foundations And Tunnels|place=Delhi|publisher=PHI Learning Private Limited|edition=2bd|isbn=978-81-203-3275-1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ls1MSleftQ8C&q=rameshwaram+temple&pg=PA28|ref=T.}}
*{{cite book|last=Vivekananda|first=Swami|title=The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda|chapter=The Paris Congress of the History of Religions|chapter-url=http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_4/translation_prose/the_paris_congress.htm|volume=4|ref=Vivekananda}}
*{{cite news|title=Renovation & consecration completed in 630 temples|author=Zee News|newspaper=Zee News|date=20 February 2012|access-date=19 February 2012|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/tamil-nadu/renovation-and-consecration-completed-in-630-temples_759073.html}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Ramanathaswamy Temple}}
{{Shaivism}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Ramanathapuram district]]
[[Category:Char Dham temples]]
[[Category:Jyotirlingas]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]
[[Category:Rameswaram]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Hindu temples sacked in the Muslim period in the Indian subcontinent]]
[[es:Ramanatha Swami]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Ramanathapuram district]]
[[Category:Shaivism]]

Ramanathaswamy Temple - Revision history

BellaCH at 06:19, 13 September 2026

GarnetWelton89 at 08:38, 16 February 2026

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:49, 13 September 2026
Line 34:		Line 34:
	\| established =		\| established =
	\| creator = Pandya and Jaffna kings		\| creator = Pandya and Jaffna kings
	\| website = https://rameswaramramanathar.hrce.tn.gov.in/hrcehome/index_temple.php?tid=35671		\| website = [https://rameswaramramanathar.hrce.tn.gov.in/hrcehome/index_temple.php?tid=35671 rameswaramramanathar.hrce.tn.gov.in]
	}}		}}
	{{Char Dham}}		{{Char Dham}}