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Photo: Ssriram mt, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Renowned for its magnificent prakaras or corridors with massive sculptured pillars on either side. The longest corridor in the world is here, 197 m (646 ft) long and 133 m (436 ft) wide. The temple has a gopuram 38.4 m (126 ft) tall. Different rulers built the temple as it stands today, at different periods from the 12th century CE. There are many guides who will attack as soon as you enter the temple premises; negotiate the deal of how much to pay them if you need their services. The history of the temple is linked with the Ramayana and it is believed that the deity was installed by Lord Rama after the war with Ravana at the instance of the great saints to get rid of the "Brahma Dosham".
Ramanathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva located on Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples. It is one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams, the sacred sites glorified by the Nayanars, Appar, Sundarar, and Sambandar, with their songs. According to tradition, the lingam of the Ramanathaswamy Temple was established and worshipped by Rama before he crossed the bridge called Rama Setu to the island kingdom of Lanka, identified with Sri Lanka. It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites. The temple was expanded during the 12th century by the Pandya Dynasty, and its principal shrine’s sanctum was renovated by Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan and his successor Gunaveera Cinkaiariyan, monarchs of the Jaffna kingdom. The temple has the longest corridor among all the Hindu temples of India. It was built by King Muthuramalinga Sethupathy. The temple is considered a pilgrimage site for Shaivites, Vaishnavites, and Smartas.
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The house of former President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is an interesting place to visit. His residence has been converted into a museum that stocks his childhood memoirs. The place is ideal to get a glimpse into the extraordinary life of this simple man, right from childhood to his research days. Several pictures and awards of Dr Kalam are kept on display in this two-storey building, which is maintained by his elder brother. Moreover, a section of the house has been turned into a store that sells a variety of merchandise.
A very beautiful and grand building. It was inaugurated on the second death anniversary of Dr Kalam. A symbol of national integration, the memorial is an amalgamation of Mughal and Indian architectures. A must-visit.