TNB - Rameswaram

We made a daytrip to Rameswaram to see the apex of "pillared-hall Pallava" architectural design. The four famous corridors of Rameswaram are really marvelous. They are huge, long, and the ceilings are decorated with beautiful friezes.

But they're not original. The remnants of the original pillars lie next to the ones currently standing. But that's what makes Rameswaram so amazing. Actually spending some of the money that comes into the temple to renovate it has brought back to life the splendor and magnificence of the temple. It becomes very easy to imagine the original grandeur of the temple. Walking down the 200 meter long corridors is like walking back in time...

The Ramnathswamy lingam is one of India's 12 jyotirlingas - natural shivalingas that are believed to be imbued naturally with the deity (as opposed to invigorated via ritual). I bought the "special darshan" ticket (which I still find weird), but oddly enough, it wasn't really any faster than the normal darshan. And that was a problem because it was getting time for the temple to close for the afternoon. Right in front of me was a family from Delhi. And because I was talking to them, as we finally made it to the front, I was brought in along with them because the priest assumed I was part of the family. We were the last group in before the afternoon closure of the temple. And because we were the last, got to sit in front of the shivalingam and enjoy our darshan. The family did a puja and I got to join in.

More on Rameswaram later. My internet cafe time is running out. Enjoy the pictures! Mary comes tomorrow!