Reports about Rameswaram and Chidambaram

Hi IMers. I have searched quite deeply the forum, and I have found very few threads reporting experiences, opinions and comments about Rameswaram and Chidambaram, except for some travel information (trains, routes, etc.).
From what I have read on several guides, these two places should be very interesting for the big and important temples and the spiritual life, and this is the reason why I am planning to visit them, but why so few reports here?
If someone has experiences to share, I would be glad!
Thanks: Gianni

I spent about 2 1/2 days in Rameswaram and loved them. I stayed at the Hotel Tamil Nadu, considered the "best" hotel in the place. Had an ocean view, with a little balcony, the "deluxe" room cost 900 Rs./night, had AC and a ceiling fan that did not sound like a 747 taking off when it was on. Don't keep a crumb of food in your room, however.....lots of ants!

The people are extremely friendly in Rameswaram, much unlike my experience in Kodaikanal. My guide was the famous R. Kannan, who is listed in the Rough Guide. He is very nice, even if you don't use his services. You can pay him what you think he's "worth".

He and I walked to Dhanushkodi, nothing but fishing villages there. If you want to stay on the beach at Dhanushkodi, Kannan can arrange a hut, water, etc., for you, and you will get 3 meals a day, cooked by a local family, 500 Rs. per day. I will probably do that next time I go....which might be next year, on my Sri Lankan trip. Kannan said will pick me up at Madurai. Contact Kannan thru the Hotel Tamil Nadu.

I loved the temples, especially the great temple, and had the buckets of water dunked on me from the 22 wells inside the temple.

Be forewarned however that there are no official money changers in Rameswaram, only one local man changes money. The banks in Rameswaram won't even change money. Also, no public internet -- I was told there is only one place, and it is very slow, so I did not check it out.

all in all, I would spend even more time there, if I went again....

chidambaram is an interesting temple complex. i have very vivid memories of this place. i sat in the covered corridors of this temple for a few hours, many years back. i was there at noon and shafts of light pierced through the clerestory openings illuminating the smoke covered dark rough granite seats and pillars. some priests were chanting shlokas and the whole atmosphere was extremely peaceful yet powerful. if you have already seen many temple complexes- especially madurai meenakshi and srirangam, this might just seem like another temple complex. it all depends on your preferences. as an architect, and south indian temple lover, it is a must see for me due to the complexity and layering of spaces.

i went to rameswaram more than a decade ago. i remember being dunked by the waters from all the wells. the train ride on the bridge was another highlight of the journey. the temples are quite different from the tanjore, madurai typology. another interesting place if you are not fed up of all the temples.

kashi

Thanks a lot Yoga and Kashi, this is exactly the kind of information I was looking for!
Definitively Chidambaram and Rameswaram will be in my itinenary!
Gianni