Rameswaram
| Rameswaram இராமேஸ்வரம் |
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| State : |
 India
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| State : | Tamil Nadu | ||
| District : | Ramanathapuram | ||
| Sub-district : | Rameswaram | ||
| Location : | 9 ° 17 ′ N , 79 ° 19 ′ E | ||
| Height : | 6 m | ||
| Area : | 53 km² | ||
| Residents : | 44,856 (2011) | ||
| Population density : | 846 inhabitants / km² | ||
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Rameswaram ( Tamil : இராமேஸ்வரம் ) is a city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu . It is located in the Ramanathapuram district on the island of Pamban off the mainland in the strait between India and Sri Lanka . As the place where Rama is said to have worshiped the god Shiva after his return from Lanka , Rameswaram is one of the holiest places in Hinduism and is therefore one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India.
Religious meaning
Rameswaram is considered a sacred place for Hindus . The Adam's Bridge (or Rama Bridge) is identified with the bridge that the god Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu ) had built in Lanka according to the epic Ramayana to save his wife Sita from being kidnapped by the demon king Ravana . After his victory over Ravana, Rama is said to have stopped in Rameswaram to thank Shiva for his help. The name Rameswaram is derived from the Shiva sanctuary at this point. It comes from Sanskrit and means "[place of] the Lord of Rama".
Rameswaram is one of the few places that is sacred to Vishnuits and Shivaites alike. Because of its mythological importance, Rameswaram is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites . In addition to Badrinath in the north, Dwarka in the west and Puri in the east, Rameswaram in the south is one of the four holy places at the cardinal points of India ( Char Dham ). At the same time, the temple of Rameswaram is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines.
Rameswaram attracts pilgrims from all parts of India, and to a lesser extent foreign tourists. In 2011, Rameswaram received 9.8 million visitors, making it one of Tamil Nadu's top travel destinations.
Location and climate
Rameswaram is located in the south of Tamil Nadu on the island of Pamban off the mainland (also Rameswaram Island ) in the strait between India and Sri Lanka only about 50 km (as the crow flies) from Sri Lanka. The city is located on the east bank of the island facing the Palk Bay . The Adam's Bridge , a chain of sandbanks and islands between India and Sri Lanka , begins at the tip of Pamban Island near Dhanushkodi , about 20 km southeast of Rameswaram . Rameswaram belongs to the Ramanathapuram district and is the center of the Taluk of the same name (sub-district). The district capital Ramanathapuram is a good 55 km to the west on the mainland. After Madurai , the main city in southern Tamil Nadu, there are around 175 km, Chennai (formerly Madras ), the capital of the state is situated about 600 km north. The climate is mostly tropical and humid; Rain (approx. 900 mm / year) falls mainly in the months of October to December.
Transport and infrastructure
Rameswaram is connected to the Indian mainland via the Pamban Bridge . It consists of a separate road and rail bridge (the latter is a lift bridge built in 1914) and, at 2,065 m, is the longest sea bridge in India. Rameswaram is the terminus of the National Highway 49 coming from Kochi and a railway line from Chennai via Madurai. In the past, the railway continued to Dhanushkodi at the end of the island, from where passenger ferries ran to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The place Dhanushkodi and the railway line were destroyed by a devastating cyclone in 1964 and not rebuilt. Since then, the Rameswaram train station has been a terminus . After the destruction of Dhanushkodi, a ferry connection from Rameswaram to Sri Lanka was established. Because of the civil war in Sri Lanka , the ferry service was given up in the 1980s. There are currently plans to resume ferry operations after the end of the civil war.
population
| year | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 32,721 | 37,968 | 44,856 |
The continuing increase in the population is mainly due to the immigration of families from the surrounding area. The population consists of about 87.5% Hindus , a good 8% Christians and just under 4.5% Muslims ; Sikhs and Buddhists hardly play a role. The male population is only marginally than the female.
economy
Rameswaram used to be a fishing village ; most of the food, such as fruit and vegetables, had to be brought in from the mainland. Since the Middle Ages, trade and cultural exchange with the neighboring empires of Southeast Asia also played an important role. Since then, the pilgrimage has also developed into an increasingly important economic factor.
Attractions
The most important sight is the Ramanathaswami Temple with its towering gates ( gopurams ) .
Others
In Rameswaram is the tallest structure in India, the 323 m high Rameswaram television tower .
Web links
- Website about Rameswaram
- Rameswaram in the tourism portal of the state of Tamil Nadu
- Rameswaram on Templenet.com
Individual evidence
- ^ Census of India 2011.
- ^ The Hindu, March 1, 2012: "State attracted over 14 crore tourists during 2011".
- ↑ Rameswaram - climate tables
- ↑ The Hindu : Rameswaram-Talaimannar ferry service: Center seeks feasibility study, ( Memento of the original from June 19, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. June 18, 2010.
- ^ Rameswaram - population development
- ↑ Rameswaram - Census 2011
