Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple - History

History :
The temple and the island of Rameswaram have acquired this name because, Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva, the
God of Gods here on return from Sri Lanka. According to legend, after killing Ravana Lord Rama returned with his
consort Goddess Seetha to India first stepping on the shores of Rameswaram. To expiate the "dosha" of killing a
brahmin, Lord Rama wanted to offer worship to Lord Shiva. Since there was no shrine in the island had despatched Sri
Hauman to Kailash to bring an idol of Lord Shiva.
Between 1897 and 1904, the ALAR family of Devakottai completed the imposing eastern tower of nine tiers 126 feet in
height from Thiruppani funds. Between 1907 and 1925 they renovated the Sanctum Sanctorum and the
prakaram(inner most corridor) by replacing the lime stones by black granite with adequate provision for light and
ventilation and also arranged for the performance of Ashtabandana Kumbabishekam in 1925; then on 22-2-1947 and
the third Ashtabandana Maha Kumbabishegam was performed on 5-2-1975.
World Famous Third Corridor :
Outer Wing - East_West 690 feet
North-South - 435 feet
Innerwing - East_West - 649 feet
North-South - 395 feet
Total number of pillars 1212
Height of Corridor 22 feet 7 inch
Second Corridor :
During the construction of first corridor, it was decided to renovate the second corridor. The lime stone structure in
Second corridor was dismantled and started granited stone work. But only compound wall in west side and one portion
in north side of western wing in south gate was renovate. After that no Renovation work as done.
Therefore, it was proposed to complete the Renovation work of Second Corridor by collecting Funds from the public.
Between 1961 to 1985, the Renovation work of Second Corridor was taken up and completed the western side of
Second Corridor and a portion in North and South side, from the Temple Renovation Fund. Now it has been proposed to
complete the Renovation of Second Corridor which has been unfinished and the Renovation work is started now.
The Sethupathy mandapam in front of the Temples Raja Gopuram9main Tower) was constructed by Ramanatha
Sethupathy, a descendant of Ramnad Raja dynasty, with his own donation of Rs. 2,75,000 /-. This construction was
started on 19-11-69 and completed on 11-2-74.
It is also most essential to construct the North and South Gopurams. Shri Jagadguru Sringeri Peedathipathy and Shri
jagadguru Kanchi Kamakoti Peedathipathy have given their kind blessings for the constructions of the North and South
Gopurams of the Temple.

Importance of Rameshwaram
Taking the Ganga water to Rameshwar, is considered as a very auspicious and pious thing to do after the
pilgrimage of the four holy shrines. After taking a holy bath in Ganga water, the holy water is carried and
offered to Lord shiva of Rameshwaram. After this a little sand from here is carried to Ganga and immersed
there. Completing this ritual is believed to make ones pilgrimage complete and successful.
On the southern seaside of India, Rameshwar sea shrine is located.
In classics like the Skandha Purana, Shivapurana etc., Rameshwar is shown as a very important place.
The story of Rameshwara goes like this:
Puranam of Rameshwar Jyothirlingam
After Sitas abduction, Ram wandered in the jungles looking for her. While doing so, he met Sugriva and
made friends with him. Later with the help of special messenger Sri Hanuman, he found out where Sita
was taken. Then Rama prepared an army to invade Ravanas empire and reached the southern seashore.
He did not have any means of crossing the sea. Lakshman and Sugriva saw Rama, who is a Shiva
devotee in great anguish and could do nothing. But Ravana received some special boons from Lord Shiva.
Rama was aware of this and therefore, his fears could not be set at rest. In the mean time, Rama was full
thirsty. Just as he was about to drink water, he remembered that he was yet to perform Shiva pooja. He
immediately made a Prathiv Linga and worshipped it with sixteen methods, i.e., Shodasopachar Vidhis.
Ramji prayed to Lord Shiva ardently and soulfully, and sang songs of Lord Shivas praise in a loud voice.
He danced and made the sounds of Aagad bam bam. This pleased Lord Shiva immediately and instantly
appeared before Rama and told him that could ask for any boons and that he would grant them. Ram
showed a lot of care, affection and love to Lord Shiva and prayed and paid obeisance. Rama said If You
want to grant me my wishes, please stay on this earth for the sake of all make it holy Shiva granted the
same by saying Evamastu meaning so be it. He thus stayed there and came to be known as
Rameshwara, in the form of a Shiva Linga and became popular.
With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Rama killed all the demons including Ravana and became victorious. Any
one who takes a Darshan of the JyotirLinga at Rameshwar and sprinkles the holy water of Ganga, attains
salvation, Kaivalya Moksha or Nirvana.
Rameswaram, (also spelt as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram or Ramisseram) is a town and a second grade
municipality in the Ramanathapuram district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on Pamban
Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 50 kilometres from Mannar Island, Sri
Lanka. It is situated in theGulf of Mannar, at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. Pamban Island, also known as
Rameswaram Island, is connected to mainland India by the Pamban Bridge. Rameswaram is the terminus of the
railway line from Chennai and Madurai. Together with Varanasi, it is considered to be one of the holiest places in
India to Hindus, and part of the Char Dhampilgrimage.
According to Hindu mythology, this is the place from where the Hindu god Rama built a bridge, across the sea
to Lankato rescue his wife Sita from her abductor Ravana. The Ramanathaswamy Temple dedicated to the Hindu
god Shiva is located at the centre of the town and is closely associated with Rama. The temple along with the town is
considered a holy pilgrimage site for both Shaivites and Vaishnavites.[1][2]

Rameswaram is the closest point to reach Sri Lanka and geological evidence suggests that the Adam's Bridge was a
former land connection between India and Sri Lanka. The town is in news over alleged attack by Sri Lankan navy for
alleged cross border activities by fishermen, Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, Kachchatheevu and Sri
Lankan Tamil refugees.[3] Rameswaram is administered by a municipality established in 1994. The town covers an
area of 53 km2 and had a population of 44,856 as of 2011. Tourism and fishery employ the majority of workforce in
Rameswaram.

Legend[edit]
Map of Adam's Bridge (a chain of limestone shoals) and environs, prior to the cyclone of 1964.

Rameswara means "Lord of Rama" in Sanskrit, an epithet of Shiva, the presiding deity of the Ramanathaswamy
Temple.[4] According to Hindu epic Ramayana,Rama, the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu, prayed to Shiva here to
absolve any sins that he might have committed during his war against the demon-king Ravana in Sri Lanka. [5]
[2]

According to the Puranas (Hindu scriptures), upon the advice of sages, Rama along with his wife Sita and his

brother Lakshmana, installed and worshipped the lingam (an iconic symbol of Shiva) here to expiate the sin
of Brahmahatya incurred while killing of the Brahmin Ravana.[6] To worship Shiva, Rama wanted to have the largest
lingam and directed his monkey lieutenant Hanuman to bring it from Himalayas.[7][2] Since it took longer to bring the
lingam, Sita built a small lingam, which is believed to be the one in the sanctum of the temple. [7] This account is not
supported by the original Ramayanaauthored by Valmiki,[8] nor in the Tamil version of the Ramayana authored by
Tamil poet, Kambar (11801250 CE). Support for this account is found in some of the later versions of
the Ramayana, such as the one penned by Tulasidas(15th century).[9][10] Sethu Karai is a place 22 km before the
island of Rameswaram from where Rama is believed to have built a floating stone bridge, the Adam's bridge, that
further continued to Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram till Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. [5][11] According to another version, as
quoted in Adhyatma Ramayana, Rama installed the lingam before the construction of the bridge to Lanka. [12]

History[edit]
The history of Rameswaram is centred around the island being a transit point to reach Sri Lanka (Ceylon historically)
and the presence of Ramanathaswamy Temple.Tevaram,the 7th8th century Tamil compositions on Shiva by the
three prominent Nayanars (Saivites) namely Appar,[13] Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandar.[14] The Chola
kingRajendra Chola I (1012 1040 CE) had a control of the town for a short period. [15] The Jaffna kingdom (1215
1624 CE) had close connections with the island and claimed the title Setukavalan meaning custodians of the
Rameswaram.[16] Hinduism was their state religion and they made generous contribution to the temple. [16] Setu was
used in their coins as well as in inscriptions as marker of the dynasty.[16]
According to Firishta, Malik Kafur, the head general of Alauddin Khilji, the ruler of Delhi Sultanate, reached
Rameswaram during his political campaign in spite of stiff resistance from the Pandyan princes in the early 14th
century.[17][18][19] He erected a mosque by name Alia al-Din Khaldji in honour of victory of Islam.[17][18] During the early 15th
century, the present day Ramanathapuram, Kamuthi and Rameswaram were included in the Pandya dynasty.[15] In
1520 CE, the town came under the rule of Vijayanagara Empire.[15]The Sethupathis, the breakaway from Madurai
Nayaks, ruled Ramanathapuram and contributed to the Ramanathaswamy temple. [15][2] The most notable of them are
the contributions of Muthu Kumara Ragunatha and Muthu Ramalinga Sethupathi, who transformed the temple to an
architectural ensemble.[20] The region was repeatedly captured several times by Chanda Sahib (1740 1754
CE), Arcot Nawab and Muhammed Yusuf Khan (1725 1764 CE) in the middle of 18th century.[21] In 1795 CE,

Rameswaram came under the direct control of the British East India Company and was annexed to the Madras
Presidency. After 1947, the town became a part of Independent India. [15]

Geography[edit]
Rameswaram has an average elevation of 10 metres (32 feet). The island is spread across an area of 61.8 square
kilometres and is in the shape of a conch. 74% of the area has sandy soil due to the presence of sea and it has many
islands surrounding it, the Palk Strait in the north west and Gulf of Mannar in the south East.[22] The
Ramanathaswamy Temple occupies major area of Rameswaram. The beach of Rameswaram is featured with no
waves at all the sea waves rise to a maximum height of 3 cm and the view looks like a very big river. Rameswaram
has dry tropical climate with low humidity,[22] with average monthly rainfall of 75.73 mm,[22] mostly from North East
monsoon from October to January. The highest ever temperature recorded at Pamban station was 37 C and the
lowest was 17 C.[23]
Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals, between Rameswaram and Mannar Island, off the northwestern coast
of Sri Lanka. Geological evidence suggests that this bridge is a former land connection between India and Sri Lanka.
[24]

The bridge is 18 miles (30 km) long and separates the Gulf of Mannar (South West) from the Palk Strait (North

East). It was reportedly passable on foot up to the 15th century until storms deepened the channel. The temple
records record that Ramas Bridge was completely above sea level until it broke in a cyclone in 1480 CE. [25] The
bridge was first mentioned in the ancient Indian Sanskrit epic Ramayana of Valmiki.[26] The name Rama's
Bridge or Rama Setu (Sanskrit; setu: bridge) refers to the bridge built by the Vanara(ape men) army of Rama
in Hindu mythology, which he used to reach Lanka and rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.
[26]

The Ramayana attributes the building of this bridge to Rama in verse 2-22-76, naming it as Setubandhanam.

[27]

The sea separating India and Sri Lanka is called Sethusamudram meaning "Sea of the Bridge". Maps prepared by

a Dutch cartographer in 1747 CE, available at the Tanjore Saraswathi Mahal Library show this area as Ramancoil, a
colloquial form of the Tamil Raman Kovil (or Rama's Temple).[28] Many other maps in Schwartzberg's historical
atlas[29] and other sources such as travel texts by Marco Polo call this area by various names such
asSethubandha and Sethubandha Rameswaram.[30]

Srirangam (formerly Vellithirumutha gramam) and Thiruvarangam in Tamil is an island and a part of the city
of Tiruchirapalli, inSouth India.
Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River (also known as Cauvery river) on one side, and the
Kaveri distributary Kollidam(Coleroon) on the other side. Srirangam is home to a significant population of
Srivaishnavites (followers of Lord Vishnu, one of the triumvirate of Hindu Gods the other two being Lord Siva, the
Destroyer and Lord Brahma, the Creator).

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple[edit]

The main gopuram of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam
White Gopuram at Srirangam Temple

Srirangam is famous for its Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, a major pilgrimage destination
for Hindus(especially Srivaishnavites) and the largest temple complex in India.
According to the temple's website, Srirangam can be considered the biggest functioning Hindu templein the world, as
it covers an area of about 631,000 square metres (6,790,000 sq ft) with a perimeter of 4 km (10,710 ft).[1] Angkor
Wat is bigger but non-functioning.
Srirangam is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines (Swayam Vyakta Kshetras) of Lord Vishnu. It is also
considered the first, foremost and the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divyadesams). This temple is
also known as Thiruvaranga Tirupati, Periyakoil, Bhoologa Vaikundam, Bhogamandabam. In the Vaishnava parlance
the term "KOIL" signifies this temple only. The temple is enormous in size. The temple complex is 156 acres
(0.63 km2) in extent. It has seven prakaras or enclosures. These enclosures are formed by thick and huge rampart
walls which run round the sanctum. There are 21 magnificent towers in all prakaras providing a unique sight to any
visitor. The temple town lies on an islet formed by the twin rivers Cauvery and Coleroon.
The Srirangam temple complex is composed of 7 concentric walled sections and 21 towersgopuram.
[2]

The gopuram of the temple is called the Rajagopuram and is 236 feet (72 m) tall, the tallest in Asia.

The temple has seven prakaras (elevated enclosures) with gopurams articulating the axial path, the highest at the
outermost prakara and the lowest at the innermost. In historic times, just after the construction of this temple, the city
of Srirangam lived completely within the walls of this temple and hence is quoted as an example of Hindu religious
utopia - during its peak of existence.
The Srirangam temple is one of the three temples of the god Ranganata that are situated in the natural islands
formed in the Kaveri river. They are:

Adi Ranga: the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangapattana

Madhya Ranga: the Ranganathaswamy temple at Shivanasamudra

Antya Ranga: the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam

There is a gopuram fully made of gold, which is protected by electrical fence.

Clothes such as Silk Sarees, Dhoti, Towels, etc.., used for religious purposes are auctioned here.
Inside the temple compound, there is a separate temple for the goddess Andal. Additionally, There is a museum, a
library and a bookshop as well.

History[edit]
According to Vedas, the vimana (adornment on top of the main tower) of Srirangam temple is believed to have come
out of the ocean of milk (Tamil: "paarkadal" - ) with the powers of Brahma deva (One of the three main Gods
of Hinduism). The incarnation of Lord Vishnu called Ramavathara has performed poojas to Vishnu's idol (deity in a
reclining posture). As a symbol of love he gifted the idol to Vibishana (brother of Ravana of the Hindu
epic Ramayana) to take back with him to Sri Lanka. There was a condition that he could not set the idol on earth and

if he did it would set itself permanently. Vibishana took this idol and was traveling towards Sri Lanka, and came upon
the banks of the river Cauvery, during when utsavam (festival) for the god had to be performed and he placed the idol
on banks of river Kaveri. When the utsavam got over, the lord refused to move as he loved the place (Srirangam).
When vibhishana requested him to come along with him, the lord refused but promised to bless Vibhishana by
always facing South (the direction of Sri Lanka, home to Vibhishana) Hence it is that the deity (in a reclining posture)
faces South. Then Chola kings Dharmavarcholan and Killivalavan developed the shrine into the big temple seen now.
They built the basic foundations and main buildings.
Srirangam was one of the Hindu shrine complexes that was sacked (plundered) during Ala-ud-din Khilji's deccan
invasion, led by his general Malik Kafur. Services at the shrine had temporarily halted following this sack, and were
resumed later.

Economy[edit]
Due to the famous temple, Srirangam has a thriving economy based on tourism. Devotees come from all parts of
India and abroad. The number of devotees to the town increases greatly during the festivals like Vaikunta
Ekadashi which falls on the Tamil month of Marghazi (Margashirsha).
Thiruvarangam is one of the few temples which is always being crowded by devotees.
There are many other famous temples near Srirangam. They
include Rockfort temple, Samayapuram Mariamman temple, Tiruvaanaikovil temple, Kumara
Vaiyalur temple,Uraiyur Vekkali Amman temple, Kaatazhagiya singer temple etc. In addition along the banks of
Kaveri in areas near Srirangam and Tiruchirappalli there are other famous temples of Lord Vishnu most of which
house the reclining form of him, namely the Sri Vadivazhagiya Nambi Perumal Temple (Thiru Anbil) and housing the
deity Appala Ranganathar, also called the Appukudaththan Temple at Koviladi. Another temple of Vishnu is
at Tiruchirappalli itself, the Azhagiya Nambi Temple at Woraiyur which is part of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at
Srirangam.
Srirangam town is also home to several hundred people who work in offices and industries located in Tiruchirappalli.
The public transport linking Srirangam to Tiruchirappalli (route #1) is very frequent.
Hampi (Kannada: Hampe) is a village in northern Karnataka state, India. It is located within the ruins
of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be
an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the
old city. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.[1] According to
statistics of 2014, Hampi is the most searched historical place in Karnataka on Google.[2]

Etymology[edit]

Hampi traditionally known as Pampa-kshetra, Kishkinda-kshetra or Bhaskara-kshetra is derived from Pampa, which
is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose southern banks the city is built.[3] The name "Hampi" is an
anglicized version of the Kannada Hampe (derived from Pampa). Over the years, it has also been referred to as
Vijayanagara and Virupakshapura (from Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara rulers).

History[edit]
The emperor Ashoka's minor rock edicts in Nittur & Udegolan (both in Bellary district) leads one to believe that this
region was within the Ashokan kingdom during the 3rd century BC. A Brahmi inscription & a terracotta seal dating to
the 2nd century AD were also discovered from the excavation site. [4]
The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1 CE.[citation needed]
Immediately before the rise of the Vijaynagara kings, the region was probably in the hands of chiefs of Kampili, now a
small town, 19 km east of Hampi.[4]
Hampi formed one of the core areas of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1343 to 1565, when it was finally
laid siege to by the Deccan Muslim confederacy.[1] Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by
the torrential Tungabhadra river on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides.
The site is significant historically and architecturally. The topography abounds with large stones which have been
used to make statues of Hindu deities. The Archaeological Survey of India continues to conduct excavations in the
area, to discover additional artifacts and temples.

Geography[edit]
Hampi is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is 353 km from Bangalore and 74 km away
from Bellary. Hosapete(Hospet), 13 km away, is the nearest railway head. Mantralayam, which is also on the banks
of Tunghabhadra, in AP is some 150 km away.The principal industries of the village are agriculture, the support of the
Virupaksha temple and some other local holy places in the vicinity, as well as tourism. The annual Vijayanagara
Festival is organized by the Government of Karnataka in November.[citation needed]
Due to the presence of several mineral deposits in this region (iron-ore, manganese), mining has been done for a
number of years. A recent boom for the supply of iron-ore in the international market has led to increased levels of
mining in this district. Some feel that the World Heritage Site at Hampi as well as the Tungabhadra Dam is under
threat as a result.

Architecture[edit]
The city of Vijayanagara was originally encompassed by seven lines of fortifications. These fortifications had a large
number of bastions & gateways. The seventh & the innermost fortification enclosed the main city & is the best
preserved.[5] The extant monuments of Vijayanagara or Hampi can be divided into Religious, Civil & Military buildings.
While most of the monuments at Hampi are from the Vijayanagara period, a small proportion may be assigned to
pre-Vijayanagara times. The Jain temples on Hemakuta hill, the two Devi shrines & some other structures in the
Virupaksha temple complex predate the Vijanagara empire. The earliest amongst them, the Shaiva shrines with their
stepped pyramidal vimanas or superstructures, date to the later Chalukyan period around ninth-tenth century AD. [6]

Religious buildings[edit]

Hampi has various notable Hindu temples with some vedanta mythology inside the temples, some of which are still
active places of worship. Among the most notable are:

Achyutaraya Temple

Badavi Linga

Chandramauleshwara Temple

Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy temple was constructed in the ancient style of architecture, the temple of
Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy stands 3 km down the road. Its inner walls flaunt peculiar and interesting motifs
of fish and marine creatures.[7]

Hazara Rama Temple Complex: This ruined temple complex is well known for elaborate frescoes from the
Hindu religion and a sprawling courtyard well-laid with gardens. It is well known for more than many thousand
carvings & inscriptions on & in the temple depicting the mighty story of Ramayana. It has about 1000 carvings &
inscriptions depicting the story of Ramayana.

The sacred pushkarani or tank located on the eastern side of Krishna temple in Hampi, India

Hemakuta group of temples

Krishna Temple Complex: This temple complex has been recently excavated through the last decade, and
restoration work is still in progress. The temple has the Sacred Tank or the Pushkarani located on its eastern
side.

The mantapas of Vittala temple

Vittala Temple Complex:

The stone chariot at Vittala complex

This is perhaps the most famous and well-known among the ruins of Hampi. The iconic stone chariot in the
vicinity of this temple complex is a symbol of Karnataka Tourism. Off late, floodlights have been installed in the
temple complex that provide illumination at dusk, thereby adding to the grandeur of the architecture.
The temple houses the famous musical pillars. The British wanted to check the reason behind this wonder and so
they had cut two pillars to check anything was there inside the pillars that was producing the sound. They had found
nothing but hollow pillars. Even today we can see those pillars cut by the British.
The road leading to the temple was once a market where the horses were traded. Even today we can see the ruins
of the market on both the sides of the road. The temple contains the images of foreigners like Persians selling
horses.

Muslim Sunni masjid

Preksha temple and groups

Saasivekaalu Ganesha

Virupaksha Temple known as the Pampavathi temple, it is an ancient temple situated in the Hampi Bazaar.
It predates the founding of theVijayanagara empire. The temple has a 160-foot (49 m) high tower at its entrance.
Apart from Shiva, the temple complex also contains shrines of the erotica statues Bhuvaneshwari and Pampa.

Underground Shiva Temple

Yantrodharaka Anjaneya temple