Gandhamadhana Parvatham

Gandhamadhana Parvatham is a small hillock and temple site located about 3 km northwest of Rameswaram town on Pamban Island, Tamil Nadu. Considered the highest point on the island, it houses a two-storey mandapam enshrining footprints of Lord Rama on a chakra. Revered in the Ramayana tradition as the spot where Rama surveyed Lanka, it offers panoramic views of Rameswaram and is an important pilgrimage stop.

Visitors can expect a small hillock topped by a two-storey mandapam housing the imprint of Lord Rama's feet on a chakra. The ground floor and upper floor allow viewing of the footprints and panoramic views of Rameswaram town, Pamban Island and surrounding sea. The setting is quiet and devotional, with steps leading to the shrine, open surroundings, and opportunities for sightseeing and photography of the landscape.

Traditionally associated with the Ramayana, Gandhamadhana Parvatham is believed to be the hillock from where Lord Rama surveyed Lanka before building the bridge to rescue Sita. The small mandapam housing Rama's footprints marks this legend and has long been part of the Rameswaram pilgrimage circuit.

The site is sacred for Hindu pilgrims visiting Rameswaram, one of the Char Dham pilgrimage centres. The footprints (Rama Padam) on a chakra are worshipped as a representation of Lord Rama, and the hilltop is visited for darshan and to view the island considered holy in Shaivite and Vaishnavite traditions.