Rameswaram’s arulmigu ramanathaswamy temple

Ramanathaswamy means the master of Rama, so the 12^th century temple was dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Darvidian structure holds great significance to Hindus and devout believers try to make at least one pilgrimage in their lifetime. As well, the island is believed to be the site where Rama (as told in the Ramayana) stood gazing across the sea to Lanka where his wife, Sita had been captured by the evil king. 

Mamallapurum’s Five Rathas

The Rathas were a short walk south of Mamallapurum and although they supposedly resembled a chariot, my imagination missed this interpretation. While these seventh century structures were well preserved, they did not deviate much from what I had already seen.

Mamallapuram visit

I wandered for several hours through the main heritage site. It was a Friday and filled with more local adventurers than foreigners.

Granite boulders of Mamallapuram

Apart from temples carved into the rock, the main heritage site contained natural beauty beyond the seventh century relics.

Mamallapuram’s main heritage site

Nestled within the boulders of Mamallapuram, were temples carved into granite boulders just west of the shore temple. I wandered through a labyrinth of paths where elaborate friezes were carved into the stone as well as temples fronted with columns.

The Shore Temple – Mamallapuram

I headed to the beach to catch the sea breeze on a sweltering thirty-four degree afternoon. I waded into the warm ocean that offered some relief when I spied the Shore Temple on an outcrop of land jutting into the Bay of Bengal.

The business of religion

The best maintained buildings in Puducherry were both the churches and the main temples.

Puducherry’s Ganesh Temple radiated in all its grandeur as if it had recently been painted every colour of the rainbow. Inside was more eye-popping than the exterior. As I wandered the perimeter ogling at the freezes, a queue waited to enter the inner sanctuary for blessings.

Puducherry churches

I stumbled upon enormous churches, all of which seemed over sized for a town like Pondy. Perhaps in the days of French colonial rule, they needed them larger than the Hindu temples.