Rameswaram - Ramanathaswamy temple

18-9-2011: After bathing at the 22 Teertams we went back to the hotel for bath and a change to dry clothes. We returned again to the Temple for darsan of the presiding deity and other important Sannathis. This a very significant Thevara Sthalam (considered 8th of the Thevara Sthalams in the Pandyanadu) where the holy saints Appar and Sambandhar have sung praises of the Lord. While the presiding deity is Ramanathaswamy the Ambal or consort is known as Malaivalarkaadali ot Parvathavardini. There is another shrine for Viswanathar-the Shivalingam brought by Hanuman from Kasi - also known as Kasilingam and Hanumanlingam.This temple spread over an area of 15 acres has lofty gopurams,massive walls and a colossal Nandi.It also boasts of a 4000 feet long pillared corridor presumably the longest in the world.What is unique is that the rock is not indigenous to the island and has been brought from elsewhere in Tamilnadu. Some spectacular pics of the famed corridors are presented below: