Agni Tirtham

Located in the beautiful city of Rameswaram in the state of Tamil Nadu, Agni Tirtham is a beach that is known by this name. The word Tirtham means a holy place or a pilgrimage site is one of the most visited Tirthas of Rameswaram for a holy bath. 

It is located in the eastern sea shore that is just opposite the Ramanathaswamy Temple. Agni Tirtham is one of the sixty-four sacred baths in Rameshwaram and sees a lot of devotees and tourists every day. Many holistic rituals are performed at the shore of the Agni Tirtham, some of which include praying for deceased ancestors and their souls. However, it is not an attraction that’s only known for its religious significance - the beautifully constructed temple and spectacular landscape attract tourists from all over the world.

There are a lot of beliefs associated with this place, one of them being that if the ashes of the deceased are immersed into the waters of Agni Tirtham, then it brings peace to the soul. 

The legend:

The Agni Tirtham has two legends associated with it. 

• The first legend says that Lord Rama took a bath in the sacred water of this place because he had killed Ravana, who was a half Brahmin. Taking a bath here freed him from the sin of killing. 
• According to the second legend, while on the way to Ayodhya, Lord Rama asked Goddess Sita to go undertake an agnipariksha (trial by fire) to prove her purity. She went into the fire but did not get hurt. Later Lord Agni thought he had committed a sin by touching the Goddess Sita, so he took a bath in the Agni Tirtham to wash his transgressions away. 

Highlights of Agni Tirtham:

It is said that devotees need to take a dip in the water before beginning with the pilgrimage to Rameshwaram as the bath makes them pure and sinless. 

There is also a belief that if childless couples perform a few rituals, take a bath in the Agni Tirtham and offer their prayers to the deity Ramanathaswamy, they are blessed with a child. 

As a result of this, the place sees many devotees visiting here with reverence in their hearts. Not only devotees, but this place attracts a lot of tourists throughout the year who come to admire the picturesque views of the beach and spectacular temple that is just adjacent to it. 

Best time for a sacred bath:

There’s no particular day to pray however, the best time is on the full moon and no moon days as they are considered auspicious. No moon days during the Tamil month of Aadi (between mid July to mid August), Thai (mid January to mid February) and Purattasi (between mid September to October) are considered to be the most sacred.

Best time to visit Agni Tirtham:

Rameshwaram is a place that can be visited throughout the year as the weather is agreeable in all seasons. However, the best months to visit are between October to April. Monsoons might get a little uncomfortable because of humidity but the views get better during this time because of flourishing greenery. 

Attain your own slice of inner peace by exploring our travel packages to Tamil Nadu and heading to this lovely temple.