Page 619 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

T A MIL NADU  617

d Chettinad
Chettinad district. 82 km (51 miles)
NE of Madurai. £ @ ( daily.
_ Bullock Races (Jan/Feb).
Karaikudi, the heart of the
Chettinad area, has several
temples, including the 7th-
century Pillaiyarpati Temple
dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It
also has fine Chettiar mansions,
and antiques shops stocked with
treasures from these mansions.
Chettinad is famous for its hot,
spicy, non-vegetarian cuisine – The longest corridor at Ramanathaswamy Temple, with sculpted pillars
pepper chicken is one of the
most popular dishes. The food is Malaysia and Singapore in the 16th to 18th centuries,
prepared in copper vessels and during its annual festival this massive temple is enclosed
served on plantain leaves. in December. within a high wall with five
gopuras. The most remarkable
feature of this temple is the
f Ramanathapuram g Rameshvaram Sokkattan Mandapa, so called
because it resembles a sokkattan
Ramanathapuram district. 117 km Ramanathapuram district. 163 km
(73 miles) SE of Madurai. * 62,000. (101 miles) SE of Madurai. * 38,050. (dice) in shape. It surrounds the
£ @ ( daily. _ Urs at Erwadi £ @ n Tourist office, East Car core of the temple on four sides
Dargah (Dec). Street, (04573) 221 371. in a continuous corridor, and is
_ Ramalinga (Jun/Jul). the largest and most elaborate
This ancient town is associated of its kind, with 1,212 pillars
with the Setupatis, local rulers A major pilgrimage site, the extending 197 m (646 ft) from
who rose to prominence in sacred island of Rameshvaram east to west and 133 m (436 ft)
the late 17th century under juts out into the Gulf of Mannar, from north to south. The complex
the Madurai Nayakas. They the narrow body of water also has a staggering 22 tirthas
derived prestige and income by separating Tamil Nadu from (tanks) for ritual ablutions; it is
controlling the isthmus that led Sri Lanka. believed that a dip in the Agni
to Rameshvaram Island. A century The Ramanathaswamy Tirtha, in front of the temple,
later, their rule came to an end, Temple, in the middle of the removes all sins. The installation
when they surrendered to the island, is dedicated to Shiva. ceremony of the linga by Rama
East India Company in 1792. It houses the linga that Lord and Sita is celebrated every year.
To the west of the present town Rama, the hero of the epic Standing on Gandamadana
is the palace complex of the Ramayana (see p31), is said to Hill, the highest point of the
Setupatis. Though little remains, have installed and worshipped island, 3 km (2 miles) northwest
the 17th-century Ramalinga after his victory against Ravana of the Ramanathaswamy
Vilas, on the north side of the in Lanka. Founded by the Chola Temple, is a two-storeyed
palace complex, still has well- rulers but expanded extensively mandapa that is said to shelter
preserved wall paintings. These during the Nayaka period, the footprint of Rama.
depict the epics as well as battle Dhanushkodi (“Rama’s Bow”),
scenes, business transactions the southernmost tip of
and royal ceremonies. The upper Rameshvaram, about 18 km
chambers depict more private (11 miles) from the main temple,
royal scenes, such as family has a spectacular beach. From
gatherings, music and dance here, a series of boulders, known
recitals, and hunting expeditions. as Adam’s Bridge, or Rama Setu,
A small shrine, facing north, is can be seen extending far into the
dedicated to the family goddess horizon. These are believed to be
of the Setupatis, Rajarajeshvari. the ruins of a bridge constructed
It stands immediately south by Lord Rama’s varnara sena
of the Ramalinga Vilas. (army of monkeys) after Hanuman
On the outskirts of the reported Sita’s captivity in Ravana’s
town is the 400-year-old Palace. The Kodandarama Temple,
Erwadi Dargah, housing the on the shore, is said to be where
tomb of Ibrahim Syed Aulia, Ravana’s brother, Vibeeshna was
a Muslim saint. It attracts coronated. Miraculously, the
devotees from all over India, Devotees taking a dip in the holy waters temple survived a devastating
as well as from Sri Lanka, of the Agni Tirtha cyclone in 1964.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp702–703 and pp717–18

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