Rameswaram a spiritual light house, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today described this holy island as a "spiritual light house", which showed the way for thousands of pilgrims who throng it.

It was a great honour to touch the Rameswaram soil which was also home for one of the 12 Jothir Mahalingas (Lord Shiva), he said in his address at a public meeting after inaugurating the memorial of former president APJ Abdul Kalam.

Rameswaram was also a deep religious centre. No wonder the land gave birth to a great soul like Kalam, who was a "thinker, mahaan and a guide to the youth," he said.

"I have come here on his 'punya thithi' (death anniversary), feel honoured and consider it a bhagyam (fortunate) to visit this island," Modi added.