Ramanathaswamy Temple Corridor: Dravidian Architecture and Cultural Significance

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During Day 1 of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were photographed at Bharat Mandapam with the 1,212-pillar corridor of the Ramanathaswamy Temple as the backdrop.
The temple is located at Rameswaram on Pamban Island in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu.
The backdrop highlighted India’s civilisational and architectural heritage on an international diplomatic platform.

The Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva.
According to tradition, Lord Rama worshipped Shiva at Rameswaram after returning from Lanka, giving the temple significance in both Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.
The temple evolved over several centuries:

12th century: Chola rulers constructed the first stone temple.
Pandya and Vijayanagara rulers subsequently expanded the complex.
1513: Vijayanagara ruler Krishnadeva Raya visited the temple and made substantial offerings.
Later, the Sethupathi rulers of Ramanathapuram played a major role in its expansion and completion.

The present structure largely reflects rebuilding and expansion during the later medieval period, particularly under the Sethupathis.

The temple is a major example of Dravidian architecture and is renowned for its exceptionally long pillared corridors.
The outer corridor extends for over 1.2 km and contains 1,212 massive sandstone pillars, each approximately 6.9 metres high.
The eastern Rajagopuram rises about 126 feet and has nine levels.
Massive compound walls enclose the approximately 15-acre temple complex.
The temple complex contains 36 water bodies, including 22 sacred wells or theerthams within the temple.
The corridor is attributed largely to the 18th-century Sethupathi ruler Muthuramalinga Sethupathi.

The corridor consists of carved stone pillars placed on raised platforms and supporting beams and the continuous roof.
Each pillar carries ornamental detailing, including floral motifs and representations of mythical creatures.
The carefully aligned columns, capitals, brackets and beams combine structural functionality with elaborate Dravidian artistic expression.
The long parallel rows create an optical effect in which the pillars appear to progressively diminish and converge towards a distant point.
The corridor was designed as a processional space to be experienced through movement, rather than simply viewed as a static monument.

The temple represents the evolution of sacred architecture through centuries of royal patronage, regional traditions and technological expertise.
Its corridors demonstrate how structural engineering, artistic ornamentation and spatial design were integrated in Dravidian temple architecture.
The temple also reflects the historical role of the Sethupathis and the cultural importance of Rameswaram as a major pilgrimage centre.
Its use as the BRICS Summit backdrop placed India’s architectural and civilisational heritage within a contemporary global diplomatic setting.

The episode demonstrates how cultural heritage can function as an instrument of cultural diplomacy and contribute to India’s civilisational outreach.