Five Rameshwaram Temple Festivals You Must Experience At Least Once In Your Lifetime,
Rameshwaram is one of the holiest places for devout Hindus and is considered one of the four dhams by Adi Shankaracharya. The most popular among the temples is the Ramanathaswamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and supposedly built by Lord Rama himself. Some of the other temples here include the Nambu Nayagiamma Temple, the Kodandaramaswamy Temple in Dhanushkodi, and the Adi Jaganathaswamy in Thiruppulani. The festivals associated with these temples are unique and one of a kind. If you are visiting this island city, here are a few Rameshwaram temple festivals you must not miss:
Thirukalyanam at Ramanathaswamy Temple
The Aadi Thirukalyana festival at the Ramanathaswamy Temple begins around July and lasts until August. The highlight of the festival is the marriage between Lord Ramanthaswamy and Goddess Parvathavardhini Ammal. This festival draws hundreds of devotees from across the world. The entire festival, starting from Rishaba Vahanam to Thirukalyanam, lasts for seventeen days. If you’re visiting Rameshwaram during the Thirukalyanam, don’t miss the processions and cultural festivals organised across the town.
Aarudra Dharsanam
Aarudra Dharsanam is a festival dedicated to Lord Shiva in his Nataraja form and celebrated in the Tamil month of Margazhi, i.e., December to January. Aarudra is the name of a star – in effect, the festival is observed when the full moon coincides with the Aarudra star in Margazhi. It is also the longest night of the year. The festival celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva as Nataraja. While Aarudra Dharsanam is celebrated in all Shiva temples, it attracts millions of devotees in the Rameshwaram Temple. The idols of the Lord Shiva are decorated with garlands and silk clothes.
Ramalinga Pratishta
When Lord Rama wanted to offer puja to Lord Shiva after killing Ravana and atone for the sins of killing a Brahaman, he made a ling out of the sand, as Hanuman who went to Mount Kailash to bring the linga hadn’t returned before the auspicious time. To appease Hanuman, who was upset with this temporary linga, Rama installed that linga as well and asked his devotees to pray this linga without fail. Even today, this event is celebrated as Ramalinga Prathista Day. Devotees visit the temple to participate in the procession, where the idol of Lord Ramanathaswamy is taken around the temple.
Mahashivaratri
The Mahashivaratri Festival is intricately linked with Lord Rama’s journey to Lanka. It was here that Lord Rama prayed for Shiva’s blessings before leaving and after returning from Lanka. The festival is celebrated with great pomp in Rameshwaram and for 10 days between Mahasashti Krishnapatcham in the Maasi month and the Mahakrishna Amavasai. The festival ends with a silver chariot pulling the idols of Lord Shiva and Parvati.
Vasanthosatsavam
The Vasanthosatsavam Festival is a 10-day festival celebrated in the Tamil month of Vaikasi, which falls around May or June.
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