Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Rameswaram
Rameswaram is a town in the southern part of India in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is actually an island separated from the mainland by a small strait of water.
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Hindu holy city
Rameswaram is famous for the Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Rama who, it is believed, had descended on its shores and built a bridge across the Palk Strait to reach Lanka in his quest to rescue Sita from Ravana. Additionally, the temple is famous for being one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Siva. Lord Rama had constructed a Siva linga in order to offer thanks to the Lord after killing Ravana. Hence, the temple is a sacred site for both Shaivites and Vaishnavites.
The grandest part of the temple is the 1219 m pillared corridor consisting of 3.6m high granite pillars, richly carved and well proportioned. The perspective presented by these pillars run uninterruptedly to a length of nearly 230m.
Together, with Kashi it is considered one of the holiest places in India for the Hindus. Hence, it is a bustling pilgrim centre.
Industry
Fishing is the main activity here.
Trivia
The current president of India, Abdul Kalam, hails from a fishing hamlet called Dhanushkodi situated in the island.
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