One of the 64 consecrated showers
in Rameshwaram, the Agnitheertham is a standout amongst the most vital
theertham and gets a substantial number of voyagers every day. Situated on the
shoreline side of Sri Ramanathaswamy sanctuary, Agnitheertham is the main
theertham sited outside the sanctuary complex.
In the Sanskrit dialect, the word
agni implies fire; while the word theertham implies blessed water.
Agnitheertham has been said a few times in the old writings and fanciful
legends as a journey of huge significance among the Hindus. The enthusiasts
going to the theertham offer their supplications to the divinity and give
penance their transgressions by taking a dunk in the sacred waters.
Legends related with
Agnitheertha:
There are two legends related
with this theertham. As indicated by the principal legend, Lord Rama had washed
up in the blessed water of Agnitheertham to make amends his transgression of
murdering evil presence Ravana, who was a half Brahmin. According to the second
legend, on her way back to Ayodhya with Lord Rama and Lord Lakshmana, Goddess
Sita needed to experience Agnipariksha to demonstrate her modesty to Lord Rama.
She wasn't harmed regardless of sitting in the fire. Afterward however, Lord
Agni needed to wash away his transgression of touching Goddess Sita amid the
Agnipariksha by scrubbing down in the ocean and offering supplications to Lord
Shiva. This place is directly known as Agnitheertham.
Sacred Baths
It is important to take a dunk in
the blessed water before beginning the journey to Rameshwaram. To wash up here
on the new moon and full moon days is viewed as the most promising. After the
legend of Rama offering reparations his wrongdoings in this very place in the
wake of slaughtering Ravana, fans give penance their transgressions by taking a
plunge in the heavenly waters of Agnitheertham.