The Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram is one of the most sacred temples in the country and is in a class of its own as a Jyotirlinga temple and a Char Dham destination. The temple is also closely related to the events of the epic Ramayana, wherein Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva before crossing the ocean to the island of Lanka in order to rescue his wife, Goddess Sita.

The legend states that Lord Rama installed a Shivling in the temple in order to seek pardon for the murder of Ravana, who was a Brahmin scholar. This is a metaphor for humility, dharma, and devotion even in the context of a victory.

The temple is also famous for its longest corridors in the world, which are supported by thousands of pillars carved out in the ancient Dravidian style of architecture. One of the most sacred rituals is bathing in the 22 holy wells in the temple premises, which are said to have different spiritual purification qualities.

The Rameswaram yatra is considered incomplete without the performance of rituals for the ancestors and spiritual purification. The temple is also a symbol of the unification of the Shaivism and Vaishnavism branches of Hinduism.