MADURAI/LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers Sunday at Tamil Nadu’s Kothandaramaswamy temple on Rameswaram island’s Dhanushkodi, wrapping up 11 days of rituals and prayers at Lord Ram-linked shrines before he leads the consecration in Ayodhya on Monday.
The Kothandaramaswamy temple is dedicated to Kothandarama, Lord Ram with the bow and arrow.It is said that Vibhishana, brother of Ravana, first met Lord Ram here and sought refuge. Legend has it that this is where Lord Ram conducted the coronation of Vibhishana after the Lanka war.
A special puja was conducted with the PM in attendance. “Prayed at the iconic Kothandaramaswamy Temple. Felt extremely blessed,” Modi posted on X on the second day of his TN visit. He had offered floral tributes at the Ashoka Chakra pillar in Arichalmunai before heading to the temple.
Earlier on Sunday morning, the PM left Ramakrishna Mutt in Rameswaram — where he had halted overnight — for Arichalmunai, the land’s end at Dhanushkodi. He offered prayers before performing pranayama (breathing exercise) on the beach and walking around. He watched through a telescope the dunes, believed to be the leftovers of Ram Setu constructed by Lord Ram to reach Lanka.
After the prayers, the PM took a chopper from Rameswaram around 11.45 to Madurai, from where he flew to Delhi. Rameswaram was under heavy security. Pilgrims were dissuaded from visiting the temple and tourists were not allowed into Dhanushkodi till the PM left. Fishermen’s expeditions were stopped this weekend.
Modi had initiated the rituals on Jan 12 from Maharashtra’s Nashik Dham, Panchavati, where Lord Ram is believed to have spent a significant part of his exile. After offering prayers at Kalaram Mandir in Nashik, he performed puja at Shree Ram Kund. He heard verses from Bhavarth Ramayana written in Marathi by Sant Eknath.
On Jan 16, Modi visited Veerbhadra Temple at Lepakshi, Puttaparthi, in Andhra Pradesh. There, he listened to Ranganatha Ramayanamu in Telugu and watched the story of Jatayu depicted in ancient AP shadow puppetry art called Tholu Bommalata.
Last week, Modi visited the Guruvayur and Shree Ramaswami temples in Kerala. On Saturday, he went to the shrine of Sri Ranganathaswamy in TN’s Srirangam. There, he heard the poetic rendition of Kamba Ramayana at the holy site where Kamban first unveiled his masterpiece to the world in the 12th century.
The next trip was to Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram. There, the PM offered his prayers to the Lord, revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Modi visited the Guruvayur and Shree Ramaswami temples in Kerala. On Saturday, he went to the shrine of Sri Ranganathaswamy in TN’s Srirangam.
The Kothandaramaswamy temple is dedicated to Kothandarama, Lord Ram with the bow and arrow.It is said that Vibhishana, brother of Ravana, first met Lord Ram here and sought refuge. Legend has it that this is where Lord Ram conducted the coronation of Vibhishana after the Lanka war.
A special puja was conducted with the PM in attendance. “Prayed at the iconic Kothandaramaswamy Temple. Felt extremely blessed,” Modi posted on X on the second day of his TN visit. He had offered floral tributes at the Ashoka Chakra pillar in Arichalmunai before heading to the temple.
Earlier on Sunday morning, the PM left Ramakrishna Mutt in Rameswaram — where he had halted overnight — for Arichalmunai, the land’s end at Dhanushkodi. He offered prayers before performing pranayama (breathing exercise) on the beach and walking around. He watched through a telescope the dunes, believed to be the leftovers of Ram Setu constructed by Lord Ram to reach Lanka.
After the prayers, the PM took a chopper from Rameswaram around 11.45 to Madurai, from where he flew to Delhi. Rameswaram was under heavy security. Pilgrims were dissuaded from visiting the temple and tourists were not allowed into Dhanushkodi till the PM left. Fishermen’s expeditions were stopped this weekend.
Modi had initiated the rituals on Jan 12 from Maharashtra’s Nashik Dham, Panchavati, where Lord Ram is believed to have spent a significant part of his exile. After offering prayers at Kalaram Mandir in Nashik, he performed puja at Shree Ram Kund. He heard verses from Bhavarth Ramayana written in Marathi by Sant Eknath.
On Jan 16, Modi visited Veerbhadra Temple at Lepakshi, Puttaparthi, in Andhra Pradesh. There, he listened to Ranganatha Ramayanamu in Telugu and watched the story of Jatayu depicted in ancient AP shadow puppetry art called Tholu Bommalata.
Last week, Modi visited the Guruvayur and Shree Ramaswami temples in Kerala. On Saturday, he went to the shrine of Sri Ranganathaswamy in TN’s Srirangam. There, he heard the poetic rendition of Kamba Ramayana at the holy site where Kamban first unveiled his masterpiece to the world in the 12th century.
The next trip was to Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram. There, the PM offered his prayers to the Lord, revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
Modi visited the Guruvayur and Shree Ramaswami temples in Kerala. On Saturday, he went to the shrine of Sri Ranganathaswamy in TN’s Srirangam.
