Pooja procedure at the main temple
It is very important for you to know the correct procedure to offer Pooja at the main temple. Temple management allows only Hindus to perform this pooja. It is best to hire a guide a day in advance, generally around Rs 400-500 for everything. Pooja at the main temple is a 4 step process:
Mani Darshanam
You should watch the Sphatic Emerald mani first thing in the morning at main temple. Darshan timings are 4:00 - 5:00 a.m. You should not take a bath before. There is a special entrance for Rs 50- but it's better to stand in the general queue for Rs 10 which, counter-intuitively, moves faster.Samudra Snanam
Next, you should walk down to SamudramSea for Snanam bathing. The sea, 500m away from the temple, is very peaceful and shallow here without any tides at all. Mythology says that Samudram surrendered to Lord Rama during his attack on Lanka and since then it is calm.Teerth Snanam
Proceed to the temple for Teerth snanam Holy bath. The temple has 22 wells that are said to contain holy water from different places. You need to sequentially take bath at each place. The markings are good and you can easily make out the next well.The government rate for this is Rs 25 per person. Attendants are there at each well and they will pour water on you. They splash a bucket of water on a group of pilgrims. You may need to go in queue. You can also hire attendants out side the temple for this process. But they will charge 150 rs per person. Plenty of these attendants can be found at the temple entrances with a bucket and rope in hand. If you feel like getting drenched with one full bucket of water at each well, you need to hire an attendant; otherwise, this is not required.Main Pooja
Now you can change your clothes and dry yourself. There are different prices for different kinds of pooja. The basic one starts at Rs 111. Your guide will arrange for the Pujari priest, who will do some rituals. Then he will offer milk, grass, leaves, etc. to Lord Shiva on your behalf in main temple. You can view all this sitting in front at a price of Rs 500. Afterwards, he will tell you the story of Rameswaram. He will also ask you to recite some shlokas after him. Pujari charges around Rs 500-600 for his services.You can also enjoy sumptuous prasadam at 12 noon. It is offered near inner door of Lord Shiva temple.
Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple
this temple situated near the sea on the eastern side of the island is renowned for its magnificent prakaras or corridors with massive sculptured pillars on either side. The longest corridor in the world is here and it is 197 metres long from East to West and is 133 metres wide from South-North. The temple has a Gopuram 38.4 metres tall. Different rulers built the temple as it stands today, at different periods from the 12th century A.D. Pooja is performed for an hour early morning daily to the Spadikalingam that was given by the Shankaracharya to this temple. There is a popular belief that one needs to take bath in 22 theertha kundams with in the temple premises before having darshan. There many guides who will attack us as soon as we enter the temple premises. One needs to negotiate the deal of how much to pay them if we need their services. It is believed that the water from these kundams have some medicinal properties. The history of the temple is linked with "Ramayan" and it is believed the the diety is installed by Lord Rama after the war with Ravana at te instance of the great saints to get rid of the "Brahma Dosham".Agnitheertham
Sri Ramanathaswamy temple faces east. The seashore, about 100 metres from the main entrance of the temple, is very calm and therefore ideal for bathing. The water at this place is considered sacred and known as Agni theertham. Pilgrims perform poojas in honour of their ancestors at this seashore.Gandamadana Parvatham
is a hillock situated 3 km away and is the highest point in the island. Here one can see the imprint of Lord Ramaâs feet on a chakra. The entire island of Rameswaram is visible from this point.Sugreevar Temple/Theertham
is situated on the way to Gandamadana Parvatham near the Doordarshan Kendra.Satchi Hanuman Temple
is considered to be the place where Hanuman delivered the good news of finding Sita to Rama with satchi or evidence, Choodamani or the jewel that belonged to Sita. Situated 3 km from the main temple, on the way to the Gandamadana Parvatham.Badrakaliamman Temple
is a temple for Devi Durga, situated 2 km from the main temple on the way to the Gandamadana Parvatham.The Five-faced Hanuman Temple
2 km from themain temple - the deity of Hanuman drawn withsenthooram. Idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Hanumanbrought from Dhanushkodi during the 1964 cyclone were placed here. Thefloating stone, used to build theSethuBandanamor the bridge between India and Lanka can be found inthis temple.JadaTheertham
about 3.5 km from Rameswaram on the Dhanushkodi road - legend has it that Lord Rama, on his way back after killing Ravana, Worshipped SriRamalinga believed to be installed by him. Before doing so, he washed his hairJada in this theertham to purify himself.Nambu Nayagiamman Temple
is greatly venerated by the people of Ramnad District. It is situated 8 km from the main temple in Rameswaram on the way to Dhanushkodi.Kothandaramaswamy Temple
is located 12 km away from Rameswaram. A popular belief is that Vibishana, brother of Ravana, surrendered before Rama here.Dhanushkodi
18 km - the southern tip of the island, Dhanushkodi was completely washed away by the 1964 cyclone. This is a strip of land about one km wide and 18 km long on the eastern end of Rameswaram island. On one side are the waters of the Indian Ocean and on the other the waters of the Bay of Bengal. The two seas otherwise known as Ratnakaran and Mahodadhi with their confluence is shaped like a bow while the strip of land resemble an arrow poised for release. Devout Hindus consider the Adi Sethu or the arrowhead, a sacred place to perform religious rites. It is also place worth visiting for its scenic beauty and bird life.Villoondi Theertham
is situated 7 km from the main temple on the way to Pamban.Annai Indira Gandhi Road Bridge
12 km - is also known as the Pamban Bridge that connects the Rameswaram island with the main land. It is the longest sea bridge in India and its length is nearly 2.2 km and stands as a fine example for Indian architecture. The bridge was constructed with sufficient elevation. The islands near by and parallel rail bridge below can be viewed from this bridge.
pooja procedure at main temple
It is very important for you to know the correct procedure to offer Pooja at the main temple. Temple management allow only hindus to perform this pooja. It is advisable to hire a guide one day in advance, who could assist you in Teerth Snanam and getting Pujari in main Pooja. Doing everything on own is a little painful process. Generally, guide charges Rs 400-500 for everything. Pooja at main temple is a 4 step process:
1.Mani Darshanam: One should watch the SphaticEmerald mani first thing in the morning at main temple. Darshan timings are 4:00 - 5:00 a.m. You should not take a bath before Mani Darhanam. There is a special entrance of Rs 50/- but it is advisable to stand in the general queue of Rs 10/- which counter intuitively moves faster.
2.Samudra Snanam: After Mani Darshan, you should walk down to SamudramSea for Snanamtaking bath. Sea is half a kilometer away from the temple. Sea is very peaceful and shallow here without any tides at all. Mythological story says that Samudram surrendered before Lord Rama during his attack to Lanka and since then it is calm.
3.Teerth Snanam: After Samudra Snanam directly proceed to temple for Teerth snanamHoly bath. Needless to say that don't change clothes or dry yourself as you have to bathe again. Temple has 22 wells, that are supposed to contain holy water from different holy places. These are situated all around the temple premises. You need to sequentially take bath at each place. Your guide will arrange for an attendant for you who would help you at each well. Attendant would pull the water from each well and pour it on on you. Government rates for this is Rs 25 per person. But you would have to stand in long general line where 1 attendant takes large groups to each well. Otherwise, you may hire someone to take only you and your family to the wells and pour water on you. They charge Rs 70 per person but the whole process can be completed a lot quickly. You may hear announcements that the only way to the Teerth Snanam is through the Government counters, but these attendants are found in plenty around the temple entrances with a bucket and rope in hand.
4.Main Pooja: After Teerth Snanam, you can change your clothes and dry yourself. There are different prices for different kind of pooja. Basic one starts with Rs 111/- Your guide will arrange for the PujariPriest, who will do some rituals. Then he will offer milk,grass, leaves, etc to Lord Shiva on your behalf in main temple. You can view all this sitting in front at a price of Rs 500/- special darshan ticket. After the main Pooja, he will tell you the story of Rameswaram. He will also ask you to recite some shlokas after him. Pujari charges around Rs 500-600 for his services.
You can also enjoy sumptuos prasadam at 12 noon. It is offered near inner door of Lord Shiva temple.