History of Rameswaram Temple – A Sacred Timeline

The Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram is not just one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlinga shrines in India—it is a place where myth, history, architecture, and faith converge. This grand temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, holds deep spiritual importance in Hinduism and is a vital stop in the Char Dham Yatra. As the southernmost Dham and the only Shaivite shrine among the four, Rameswaram stands as a symbol of national spiritual unity.

Mythological Origins – The Thala Puranam

According to ancient scriptures and legends, Lord Sri Rama, after defeating the demon king Ravana, came to Rameswaram with Sita and Lakshmana to absolve himself of Brahmahatya dosha—the sin of killing a Brahmin.

On Sage Agasthya’s advice, Sri Rama sought to worship Lord Shiva and instructed Hanuman (Anjaneya) to fetch a Shiva Lingam from Mount Kailash. Since Hanuman was delayed, Sita Devi crafted a Lingam from the sea sand and rituals were completed using that.

When Hanuman returned with the Lingam, he was upset that his effort went unused. To pacify him, Lord Rama installed Hanuman’s Lingam—now known as Viswanathar (Visvalingam)—beside the sand Lingam (Ramalingam), and ordered that all rituals begin with Viswanathar first.

This divine act gave the town its name: Rameswaram – the place where Eswara (Shiva) was consecrated by Rama.

Temple Construction Through the Ages

Up to the 10th Century

The Rameswaram shrine remained a simple spiritual structure maintained by monks and sages. It served as a quiet place of worship before the emergence of grand architectural developments.

12th Century – King Parakramabahu of Ceylon

The transformation of the shrine into a major temple began under King Parakramabahu of Sri Lanka. During his reign, the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha) was constructed, laying the foundation for future expansions.

15th Century – Sethupathi Dynasty and Nagore Merchant

  • King Udayan Sethupathi of Ramanathapuram and a merchant from Nagore constructed the Western Gopuram (temple tower) and the surrounding compound walls.
  • A wealthy devotee from Madurai added the Amman Sannadhi corridor and undertook other structural renovations to enhance the temple’s architecture.

16th Century – Nayak Period Contributions

Chinna Udayan Sethupathi Kattathevar, a chieftain under the rule of Madurai King Viswanatha Nayakkan, built the large Nandi Mandapam. The iconic Nandi statue inside the temple measures 17 feet in height, 22 feet in length, and 12 feet in width.

17th to Early 20th Century – East Rajagopuram and Nagarathars

  • Thalavai Sethupathi initiated the construction of the East Rajagopuram (eastern temple tower) during the 17th century.
  • Between 1897 and 1904, the 126-foot tall, nine-tiered East Rajagopuram was completed by the AL.AR. family of the Nagarathar (Nattukottai Chettiar) community from Devakottai.

Over the centuries, the temple evolved through the combined efforts of kings, merchants, saints, and devotees—many of whom carried out this monumental work without modern tools or transportation. Their devotion and contribution have shaped Rameswaram Temple into a marvel of South Indian temple architecture.

While the Chola and Pandya dynasties are renowned for building several prominent temples across Tamil Nadu, their contributions to Rameswaram Temple were minimal. The Sethupathi kings of Ramanathapuram are recognized as the primary patrons responsible for most of the temple’s major expansions and restorations.

Literary & Cultural Significance

The Ramanathaswamy Temple is deeply revered in Tamil devotional literature:

Rameswaram is one of the rare temples that possess all three sacred elements:

It is also the final destination in the Kasi–Rameswaram Yatra, a vital pilgrimage believed to cleanse the soul and honor ancestors.

Evolution of A Grand Temple

Till the 10th century the Rameswaram temple is in the form of a small thatched shed , which is maintained under the governance of a saint. The temple and its structural constructions as we see now are mainly evolved between the period of 12th and 16th century CE.

There are many sannathis (small temples) present inside the Ramathaswamy temple, out of them 5 sannathis namely

are constructed by paranthaka chola and Raja Raja chola during the period of 10th and 11th centuries . These temples are situated in the west side of the third corridor (moondraam prakaaram).

Srilankan king Parakramabahu (1153 – 1186 CE) built the main sannathis inside the temple and the first corridor during the end of 12th century.

In 1404 CE Harihara – II of vijayanagara dynasty inaugurate the works of second corridor but the works were not completed (At 16th century the eastern parts of the second corridor was built by thirumalai sethupathi).

After that Udaiyaan sethupathi with the help of Srilankan (Tamil) king Pararajasekara aryasakravarthy in 1414 CE started the renovation process and the reconstruction of the ramanathaswamy temple by obtaining granite stones from srilankan mountain thirikonamalai.

The great nandhi statue of 17 feet height and 12 feet width in front of lord shiva was built by Chinna udaiyaan kattathevar . The palliyarai and the front pavilion of the ambaal sannathi were built by Ravi vijaya regunatha sethupathi.

The west gopuram (78 feet height west gate tower) and the outer walls of temple were built by 1434 CE with the help of donations provided by a nagoor vysya devotee.

In the year 1722 Vijaya regunatha sethupathi laid the foundation stone for the outermost third corridor of the Ramanathaswamy temple, the work later carried out by Chella muthu vijaya regunatha sethupathi and completed by 1772 in the rule of Muthu ramalinga vijaya regunatha sethupathi

The specifications of third corridor:

Number of pillars1212
Height22 feet 7.5 inches
Outer wing (East – West)690 feet
Outer wing (North south)435 feet
Inner Wing (East – West)649 feet
Inner Wing (North south)395 feet

The small part of east gate tower was already started by Thalavaai sethupathi during 17th century and not get completed This East Gopuram (East gate tower 126 feet height and had 9 tiers ) was built around the years between 1897 to 1904 by means of the donations provided by the Devakottai A.L.A.R family

Sethupathy Mandapam:

The construction of The Sethupathy mandapam which is in front of east Gopuram was(gate tower) started on 19 -11 -1969 and completed on 11 -12 -1974 by Ramanatha sethupathi.

North and South Gopurams (gate Towers):

The North and the South Gopurams (gate tower) were constructed  by  Tamilnadu Government’s HR & CE ministry (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) , kanchi kamakodi mutt trust and shringeri mutt tust. The holy consecration (Kumbabishegam) of this newly built gopurams were performed on January 20, 2016 along with all other gopuras of Rameshwaram Ramanathaswamy temple.

First Kumbabishekam

Between the years 1907 and 1925, the innermost corridor (First Praharam) of the Ramanathaswamy Temple underwent significant renovation. The original limestone pillars and structures were replaced with sturdy granite, funded generously by the A.L.A.R family of the Nattukottai Nagarathar community. This monumental work led to the First Kumbabishekam (consecration ceremony), which was held in 1925.

Since then, the temple has seen multiple renovations and subsequent Kumbabishekam ceremonies to preserve its spiritual and structural glory. The list of past Kumbabishekams is given below:

Second Kumbabishekam
27 February 1947
Third Kumbabishekam
5 February 1975
Fourth Kumbabishekam
5 February 2001
Fifth Kumbabishekam
5 February 2007
Sixth Kumbabishekam
20 January 2016

Why Rameswaram Temple Stands Apart

Experience the Legacy Firsthand

Visitors can explore:

Learn more:

Nearby Tourist Attractions:

Book the Best Hotels in Rameswaram – Near Ramanathaswamy Temple

Top 10 Places to Visit in Rameswaram