Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple is a temple associated with Lord Rama and one of the most important holy places in Tamil Nadu.
In Ayodhya, the city where Lord Rama was born, a grand Bala Ram Temple has been built near the Sarayu River. Similarly, there are various temples dedicated to Lord Rama all over India. There are temples that reflect the glory of Lord Rama and temples related to Lord Rama. Let us see some of the notable temples.
Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple
This is one of the famous Lord Rama temples in India. This temple is located in Bhadrachalam, in the Bhadratri Kothakudem district of Telangana. This temple is known to everyone as ‘Bhadrachalam Temple’. It is said that Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, who had gone into exile, once stayed at Parnasala, which is 35 kilometers away from Bhadrachalam.
It was then that Sita was abducted by Ravana, and on the way to Sri Lanka, Rama and Lakshmana crossed the Godavari River to rescue her. According to that legend, the Bhadrachalam temple is located there. This temple is celebrated with great celebration on Ram Navami and the wedding day of Rama and Sita.
Ramaswamy Temple
The temple associated with Rama in Tamil Nadu and one of the most important holy places in India is the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram district. Although it is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Shiva Lingam here was made of sand by Sita Devi. The speciality of this temple is that it was performed by Rama Prana.
There is also a temple of Rama in Kumbakonam named Ramaswamy Temple. This 400-year-old temple was built by a king named Raghunatha Nayak. This temple is filled with paintings and sculptures from the epic Ramayana. We can see intricate artwork in this temple. In the sanctum, Lord Rama and Goddess Sita are seated together in a married pose. With them, Shatrughan is on Rama’s left side throwing a chamara, Bharata is holding an umbrella, and Lakshmana is standing on his right side holding a bow. Hanuman is also with them. It is believed that worshipping here will make one successful in marriage.
This temple is located in the Panchavati area of Nashik city in the state of Maharashtra. What is special is that this temple is built on the same spot where Lord Rama lived during his forest stay. The current temple was built in the 17th century by Sardar Rangarao Odekar on the site of an old wooden temple. The construction of this temple lasted for about 12 years. This is one of the best Ram temples in Western India. Here, the idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are made of black stone. Each of them is about 12 feet tall.
Triprayar Temple
This temple is located in the Thrissur district of Kerala. The deity of the temple, Rama, is called ‘Triprayarappan’ or ‘Triprayaar Devar’. According to the Puranas, it is said that the Rama idol in this temple was worshipped by Krishna during the Dwapara Yuga. It is said that when Dwarka was submerged in the sea during the last days of Krishna, this idol also sank in the sea and was rescued by fishermen from the Settuva sea in Kerala. Later, they gave the idol to the ruler there, and the idol of Rama was installed in Triprayar and a temple was built. This Rama idol has four arms. He is shown holding a conch, a disc, a bow and a garland in his arms.
Bhubaneswar Ram Temple
This temple is located near Karavel Nagar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Located in the heart of the city, this temple is very popular. The idols of Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Devi Sita are beautifully crafted here. There are also separate shrines for Lord Hanuman, Lord Shiva and other gods. The temple was built and managed by a private trust.
Kothanda Ram Temple, Karnataka
This temple is located in Hiremagalur, Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Lord Rama and Lord Lakshmana are depicted with bows and arrows. Contrary to tradition, in this temple, Sita is depicted on the right side of Lord Rama. It is believed that a devotee named Purushothaman wished to see the marriage of Lord Rama and Devi Sita, and his wish was fulfilled. In a traditional Hindu wedding, the bride sits on the right side of the groom. To reflect this, idols of Lord Rama and Devi Sita are placed in the sanctum sanctorum.
Shri Ram Tirtha Temple, Amritsar
This temple is located on Sogavan Road, 12 km west of Amritsar, Punjab. It is the place where Sita Devi took refuge in the ashram of sage Valmiki. It is considered a special place as it is the place where Sita Devi gave birth to Lavan and Kushan. There is also a well with steps here for Sita Devi to bathe.
Raghunath Temple, Jammu
This temple complex consists of 7 temples. It is one of the largest temple complexes in North India. These temples were built by Maharaja Gulab Singh and his son Maharaj Ranbir Singh during the period 1853-1860. Many deities are enshrined in this temple complex. But the Ram temple is the main temple.
