1074. Wells at Rameshwaram Temple...!

Sri Ramanatha Swamy Temple or Ramalingeswara Swamy Temple, or just Rameswaram temple as it is commonly known is one of India’s most revered pilgrimage destinations, on a par with Varanasi in the North. This island houses the Gandhamana Parvatha which is the highest point. Amazingly this temple is in line (almost) with all the other four temples which represents the Pancha Tattva (Five elements).

Rameshwaram (Pritivi) is 79.3 degree E.

Chidambaram (Akasha) is 79.7 degree E.

Thiruvanaikaval (Jala) is 78.7 degree E.

Thiruvannamalai (Agni) is 79.0 degree E.

Srikalahasti (Vayu) is 79.7 degree E.

And also very near is in longitude is Kailasa which is 81.3 degree E.

As Pancha Tattva Kshetra this sacred place is most visited by Saivates but even for Vaishnavites it is one among the four primary holy places, called Char Dham, along with Badrinath in the North, Puri in the East and Dwaraka in the West. Hence it is equally revered by Vaishnavites and Saivites. Here Shri Rama and Sitadevi consecrated the Sivalinga made of sand and together commenced the worship in the presence of Lakshmana, Hanuman and Vibhishana.

Rameswaram is an island marking the Indian side of Ramasetu, the bridge that the Vanara Sena led by Nala and Neela built for Shri Rama to cross over to Lanka to rescue Sitadevi from Ravana.

It may be noted that a small temple which existed for a long period of time was renovated by Raja Parakramabahu, the king of Polonnaruwa Kingdom of Lanka. Thereafter occurred many rounds of expansion and renovation which continue to this day.

Whatever may be the stages of renovation the 22 wells in the temple premises remain most interesting. After the dip at Agni Theertham (Bay of Bengal) which is opposite to the temple devotees walk to temple entering a fantasy world of stone chambers and steel post, which are essential guides to the journey towards the amazing wells inside. 

Starting from the first well called Mahalakshmi Theertham the devotees spend next 90 minutes getting drenched with the water splashed by volunteers who draw water from the well using small buckets. It is a unique experience as the temperature and the taste of the water is different and distinct from each other.   

Each well has a story to tell like at the Mahalakshmi Theertham it is said that Yudhisthira became wealthy by the grace of Maha Lakshmi after taking bath at that well. The second, third and fourth namely Savitri, Gayathri, and Saraswathi Theertham pardoned a rishi of his curse. At the Sanku Theertham which is eleventh in the series, Sage Vatsanaba was rid of the sin of ingratitude. Fourteenth and Fifteenth is Surya and Chandra Theerthams which bestows the seeker with the knowledge of past, present and future which is called Trikala Jnana.  

Finally the twenty second is the Kodi Theertham which was created by Shri Rama by hitting the ground with his arrow to bring forth water to anoint the Sand Linga consecrated here.

In all it is said in Skanda Purana that there are 64 Theerthams in the island along with the 22 which are inside the temple alone. There are a few like Rama Theertham, Lakshmana Theertham, Villondi Theertham and others in the island which are the only few known to us. There are many yet to be rediscovered like Dharma Theertham which was excavated a few years back.

Bathing in all those 22 wells and having the Dharshanam of Sri Rameshwara Swamy was a great experience.

May Sri Rameshwara Swamy bless us all....