Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple in Rameshwaram

Introduction to the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple

The Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple is in Rameshwaram district, Tamilnadu. This small temple is three kilometers away from the famous Ramanathaswamy temple.

Legend of the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple

According to legend, Mayil Ravana, brother of demon Ravana, abducted Rama and his brother Lakshmana while they were on their way to Lanka. He hid them in Paatal Lok. Mayil Ravana could be killed only if the five lamps facing five directions were extinguished simultaneously.

To rescue Rama and Lakshmana, Hanuman took four other forms: Varaha facing the north, Narasimha facing the south, Garuda facing the west, and Hanuman himself facing the east, along with Hayagriva facing the sky. He rescued Rama and Lakshmana soon after extinguishing the oil lamps.

The Sacred Floating Stones

During the Ramayana period, the Rama Sethu Bandhanam was built to connect Lanka and Rameshwaram. The monkeys' army of Rama (Vanarasena) threw stones with Sree Rama's name written on them into the ocean. The stones supposedly floated instead of drowning. To rescue Sita from the demon Ravana, these floating stones were used to build the Sethu Bandhanam, a floating bridge from Rameshwaram to Lanka.

To this day, the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple has floating stones and rocks kept in water that do not drown despite being pushed inside. Some stones kept in the temple premises weigh over 10 kg.

The Architecture of the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple

The architecture of the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple displays the traditional South Indian temple architecture. It features intricate sculptures and carvings depicting various mythological scenes and Hindu deities. The temple is opposite Seetha Theertham. The sanctum enshrines Hanuman in a serene and divine setting. Senthooram (vermilion) adorns the entire body of the Panchamukhi Hanuman.

Hanuman's idol has five faces. Hanuman's face is in the middle, while the faces of Narasimha, Varaha, Garuda, and Hayagriva are on the sides. Each face represents one of the 5 natural elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Sky.

In 1964, after the colossal cyclone in Dhanushkodi, the idols of Rama and Sita were brought to the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple and placed there. The Hanuman idol in the temple is around 700 years old.

The main deity, Panchamukhi Hanuman, is carved out of a single stone that is 18 feet high. His idol is open to the sky without any canopy on its top. An oil lamp next to Rama has been burning for three decades.

Outside the temple, there is a tank with floating stones. It is the major attraction of the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple, which attracts tourists around the year. Devotees who visit Rameshwaram temple also visit the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple.

Festivals in the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple

Rama Navami and Hanuman Jayanti are grandly celebrated in the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple.

Benefits of Worshipping at the Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple

People believe that worshipping Pancha Mukha Hanuman can help them to get the protection of Narasimha, overcome all Doshas with the grace of Garuda, receive blessings of wealth from Varaha, and blessings for wisdom and knowledge from Hayagriva.