Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram – Third
Corridor (Third Prakaram)
The
third corridor is the largest temple corridor in the world. The specifications
of its dimensions are really massive. The outer set of corridors is reputed to
be the longest in the world being about 6.9 m height, 400 feet in each in the
east and west and about 640 feet in north and south and inner corridors are
about 224 feet in east and west and about 352 feet each in north and south. Their
width varies from 15.5 feet to 17 feet in the east and west about 172 feet on
the north and south with width varying 14.5 feet to 17 feet.
The
total length of those corridors is thus 3850 feet. There are about 1212 pillars
in the outer corridor. Their height is about 30 feet from the floor to the
center of the roof. The main tower or Rajagopuram is 53 m
tall. Most pillars are carved with individual composition. Most of the
brilliantly carved pillars feature individual themes and are aligned in a
special way. The carved granite pillars are mounted on a raised platform and
its uniqueness lies in the fact that the rock is not indigenous to the island,
but was brought in from other parts of Tamilnadu across the sea.
The
third prakaram ceiling has paintings of 12 Rasis with their devadhais in
32 squares. Vahana rooms, Sudhai Sirpam of Sethupathi and Veerapathirar are
located in third corridor. Kothandarama Sannadhi is like a separate temple with
Karuvarai, Artha mandapam and vimanam, Sudhai Sirpam of Sri Ramalinga
Pradistai, Ramar, Seetha and Lakshmana, Sukrivan, Vibeesnar are located in the
third prakaram.
Natarajar
Sannadhi is on the third corridor with sanctum, Ardhamandapam &
mahamandapam. On the east Anuppu mandapam, has sudhai sirpangal and
paintings of Shiva’s dances. Mahalakshmi Sannadhi, Anjaneyar Sannadhi,
Sethupathi mandapam, Kalyana mandapam is located in this prakaram.
The east
Rajagopuram (45) is of 126 feet with 9 tiers & 9 kalasams. This
construction was started during 1629 by Thalavai Sethupathi and completed in
1904 by Nattukkottai Nagarathar A.L.A.R family. The West Rajagopuram is of
very old construction with full of stone during 1434 and the height is 78 feet
with 5 tiers. Vinayagar and Sri Subramaniyar Sannadhi are located in the front
of this prakaram.
The
year-long painting works in the third corridor of the temple had been completed
at a cost of Rs.54 lakh. And water jet washing was performed to restore the
granite structure in the inner and outer prakarams of Swami and Ambal Sannathis.
It had been taken up at a cost of Rs.75 lakh. The stone wall pillars in the prakarams had
given preservative coatings.
In the
year 1722 Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi laid the foundation stone
for the outermost third corridor of the Ramanathaswamy temple, the work later
carried out by Chella muthu Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi &
completed by 1772 in the rule of Muthu Ramalinga Vijaya Ragunatha Sethupathi.