Permanent Pictorial Cancellation inaugural day covers

Description: Rameswaram is a sacred town in Tamil Nadu, located in the Ramanathapuram district. It is renowned for the Ramanathaswamy Temple, a significant Hindu pilgrimage site closely associated with the epic Ramayana. According to tradition, after defeating Ravana, Lord Rama was advised by sages to worship Lord Shiva to atone for the sin of killing a devoted follower of Shiva. Rama asked Hanuman to bring a Shivalinga from Mount Kailash. However, as the auspicious time for installation approached and Hanuman had not yet returned, Sita created a Shivalinga from sand. Rama installed and worshipped this, which came to be known as the Ramalingam. When Hanuman eventually returned with the Shivalinga, he was disappointed to see that the ritual had already been completed. 

To honour his devotion, Rama permitted that the Shivalinga brought by Hanuman be worshipped first. This tradition continues in the temple even today. The Ramanathaswamy Temple holds immense religious importance as one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas, where Shiva is believed to have manifested himself. It is also one of the four holy sites of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. Devotees believe that a pilgrimage is incomplete without visiting Rameswaram. Architecturally, the temple is remarkable for its grand corridors. The third corridor, with around 1,200 pillars standing about 22 feet high, is considered the longest temple corridor in the world, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and spiritual grandeur.