Google sightseeing Mannar ( map2 )

A more distant map of Mannar.In the maps you can see Rameswaram of India too.

Rameswaram, hailed as the Varanasi of the South, is an island in the Palk Straits. Legend has it that Sri Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here after his victory over the demon king Ravana. Even today anyone visiting Varanasi or Kasi, has to complete his pilgrimage by a visit to Rameswaram. The temple town has been in the news of late because its illustrious son Sri APJ Abdul Kalam,President of India has recounted it fondly in his memoirs called "Wings of Fire".It forms part of Adams Bridge, a series of coral reef islands connecting India and Sri Lanka. The island contains a temple that is one of the most venerated of all Hindu shrines.This Shivastalam is considered to be one of the holiest shrines in India. It represents the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India and has been a time honored pilgirmage center held on par with Banaras.