Rameswaram, on a small island between peninsular India and Sri Lanka, is home to the Jyotirlinga installed and worshipped by Lord Rama himself - making it one of the Hindu Char Dham, the four most sacred pilgrimage sites, alongside Badrinath, Dwarka, and Puri. The Ramanathaswamy Temple houses the Jyotirlinga, with its present structure built in the 17th century and famous for having the longest corridor of any Hindu temple in India.
Origin Story: Before crossing the ocean to rescue Sita from Ravana, Rama felt thirsty, but stopped himself from drinking water before worshipping Shiva. He built a shivalinga from sand and prayed intensely for the strength to defeat Ravana. Pleased with his devotion, Shiva appeared with Parvati and blessed Rama with victory, and at Rama's request, agreed to remain there forever as the Jyotirlinga, later famous as Rameswaram.
Another version tells that Rama sent Hanuman to fetch a linga from Mount Kailash, but when he didn't return in time, Sita made one from sand instead - the Ramalingam. On his return, a dismayed Hanuman was consoled when Rama installed his linga as the Vishwalingam, instructing devotees to worship it first, before the Ramalingam - both remain inside the temple today.
Pilgrimage: An essential part of visiting Rameswaram is bathing in 22 of the 64 sacred teerthas (holy water bodies) within the temple, said to symbolise the 22 arrows in Rama's quiver. The ritual begins with Mani Darshanam at 4am, followed by a bath at Agni Teertham, where Rama is said to have atoned for the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahmin devotee of Shiva.