Rameswaram is a town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on an island separated from the mainland by the Pamban channel. Together with Kashi, it is considered one of the holiest places in India to Hindus. Hence, it is a bustling pilgrim centre.
It is situated in the Gulf of Mannar at the very tip of the Indian peninsula. A very important pilgrim centre for the Hindus, Rameshwaram, according to legends, is the place from where Lord Rama, built a bridge across the sea to Lanka to rescue his consort Sita, from her abductor, Ravana. This is also the place where Rama worshipped Shiva to be absolved of the sin of killing Ravana. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage centre which is known as the Varanasi of the south.
View Of the East Gopuram of Rameswaram temple in the morningRameshwaram is significant for the Hindus as a pilgrimage to Benaras is incomplete without a Pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. The presiding deity here is in in the form of a Linga with the name sri Ramanatha Swamy , it also happens to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Rameshwaram is also popularly referred to as the 'Benaras of the south'.
Sri Rameswar
The grandest part of the temple is the 1219 m pillared corridor consisting of 3.6 m high granite pillars, richly carved and well proportioned. The perspective presented by these pillars run uninterruptedly to a length of nearly 230 m.
According to the Puranas, upon the advice of Rishis (sages), Rama along with Sita and Lakshmana, installed and worshipped the Sivalinga here to expiate the sin of Brahmahatya (killing of a Brahmin) (Ravana was a Brahmin the great grandson of Brahma).[citation needed] Rama fixed an auspicious time for the installation and sent Anjaneya to Mount Kailas to bring a lingam.
As Anjaneya could not return in time, Sita herself made a linga of sand. When Anjaneya returned with a linga from Mount Kailas the rituals had been over. To comfort the disappointed Anjaneya, Rama had Anjaneya’s lingam (Visvalingam) also installed by the side of Ramalinga, and ordained that rituals be performed first to the Visvalingam.
Rameshwaram is an island situated on the tip of the Indian peninsula. The city is also an important south India pilgrimage center of the Indians. It is the place from where Lord Rama had built a bridge across the sea to rescue his consort Sita.This is the place where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to cleanse away the sin of Ravana. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage city.
Rameshwaram is significant for the Hindus. The presiding deity is the Linga Of Sri Ranganatha, which happens to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India. Rameshwaram is popularly referred as the 'Benaras of the south'. In order to attain Moksha it is believed that a visit to Rameshwaram is mandatory. In fact the entire area of Rameshwaram is associated with various incidents from the Ramayana. The city of Rameshwaram happens to be one of the most visited pilgrim sites in India.
The places of visit include the Ramanathaswamy Temple, which was built in the 17th century and is situated close to the sea on the eastern side of the island; this temple is famous for its 1200 gigantic granite columns. At a distance of about 100 metres comes the Agnitheertham, where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva, to absolve himself from the killing Ravana.Another shrine called Gandamadana Parvatham is worth visiting. This shrine is found at 2kms away from Rameshwaram. A place called Dhanushkodi named after Rama's bow is at the eastern end of the island at a distance of 8 kms from Rameshwaram.
Sri Raghurama Temple ,Danushkoti.The little town of Rameshwaram is also a heaven on earth for nature lovers as one can find captivating coral reefs here. The place is also perfect as a holiday destination with the ever so charming combination of sun, sand and sea. Rameshwaram is visited by both the local and foreign tourists as it is a rejuvenating experience in itself.Dhanushkodi is the nearest point to cross over to Ceylon and in those days the Rameswaram express was called as "Boat Mail" as the boats from Ceylon used to bring Travellers from across Ceylon to Dhanushkodi who will straitaway get into the Train"Boat Mail" which will happily steam its way to Madras,Nalla Madras.
Dhanushkodi was such a Holy place that every Hindu pilgrim from all parts of India used to have a dip in Thiruppullanai(near Ramnad)where Ramar was supposed to have taken rest before embarking on the long JOurney for the War across the Ocean(the Temple in Thiruppullanai is still there ,well maintained by a set of devotees who are all known to me)and then Devipattinam ,called Nava Pashanam,where Ramar is supposed to have established the nine grahas inside the seas..and then pilgrims used to go to Rameswaram and Danushkodi to complete their faithful Pilgrimage. 
This trip is just like going to Mecca for a Muslim or Jerusalem for a Christian. There is no question in this tour whether Ramar was really in a siesta in Thiruppullani or whether Ramar really believed in NIne Grahas in Devipattinam(which town over a period has been completely occupied by Muslims tho' they have allowed Hindus to this Place where the Grahas are inside the seas!)Dhanushkoti was making a huge some of Money atleast for the Purohits when it was alive and active,as Rameswaram si Today(till it was swallowed by a big Tsunami in 1965!)Hence the Faith which has been passed on to us for generations cannot be suddenly questioned just based on some economic criteria,as none will have the guts to replace a Masjid or Church based on Economic Criteria..even a cartoon of that sort wd have created a furore.
While I fully agree with the importance of Shorter shipping route,it cannot be at the cost of something which many believe Really Existed! Can anyone go to Kashmir with the question whether "the Hair" in a particular Draga is really "Prophet MOhammed's?" They wd kill anyone who goes with such a thinking even... The very fact that some archealogists found evidence of Mary Magdalene and her daughter's grave (very recently)all over world the protest was so huge that they buried the very topic conveniently.
