About

Bhadrachalam is a town in Khammam District of Telangana State, India. It is an important Hindu pilgrim center, situated on the banks of Godavari River. It is located 312 kilometres (194 mi) East of state capital, Hyderabad. The town is famous for temple of Lord Rama constructed by the great devotee Kancharla Gopanna alias Ramadasu.

Every Year Sri Sita Raama Kalyanothsavam will be celebrated here in the presence of huge pilgrims and the Mutyala Talambralu and Pattu Vastralu will be donated by the Government, Officially.

History

The town has a documented history of Lord Sri Rama temple constructed in 1674 A.D. by Kancherla Gopanna. Legend has it that the present town is situated in an area which once formed part of the Dandakaranya forest, and said to be visited by Sri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana during their exile (వనవాసం). The forest in the vicinity of the temple was the site of Rama's retreat and it was at the Parnasala (32 km from here) that he built a hut for himself and Sita and from where Sita was abducted by Ravana.

The history of this shrine stands for the significance of Ramayana Era, and vicinity of the temple had its incongruous add mixture of another story which depicts the exigency of " Sri Mahavishnu " to manifest himself as Rama long after Ramavatara was to fulfill his promise to his Bhakta Bhadra (a mountain king), a sage who had been continuing the frightened penance to get grace of Lord Rama. The name Bhadrachalam derived from Bhadragiri (Mountain of Bhadra - child of Meru and Menaka).

The temple at Bhadrachalam has the Archa Murthys of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana and are considered to be Swayambhu (self-manifested ones). Lord Sri Rama appeared in a dream to a woman called Pokala Dammakka and informed her about the existence of vigrahas on Bhadragiri hills. To her surprise she found the "Vigraha's" and put up a modest structure. Dhammakka, cleared jungle and offered puja to the deities

Construction of the Temple by Bhakta Ramadasu

Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as "Bhakta Ramdas", a fervent devotee of Rama, was born to Linganna Murthy and Kamamba in Nelakondapalli village of Khammamett Taluk in 17th century (1620 AD). He was nephew of Akkannna, the administrative head in the court of Nawab Abul Hussan shah known as 'Taneshah' of Golkonda (he was the last ruler of Golconda before Aurangazeb captured it in 1687A.D.) and was appointed by him as Tahsildar of 'Palvoncha Paragana'. Thus he was discharging his official duties earnestly and collecting revenues due to the Nawabs in continuation of daily preaches -Chanting of 'Ramanama' and the feeding the poor at his house. Ramadasa, who heard the news that the villagers of palvoncha paragana were proceeding to witness a Jatara at Bhadrachalam , became curios and he too visited Bhadrachalam. He found the deities in an amazing appearance. Ramadas, then asked the villagers to contribute liberally for the construction of the temple. After the contributions were found to be insufficient, the villagers appealed him to spend the revenue collections for the construction of the temple with a promise to repay the amount after harvesting the crops. Accordingly, Ramadas constructed the temple with an amount of Rs 6 Lakhs collected from the land revenues with out the permission of the Nizam Nawab.

When the temple reached to the nearing completion, he had a problem of fixing 'Sudarshana Chakra' at the crest of the main temple. He was deeply distressed and fell into sleep. On the same night, Rama in his dream asked him to have a holy dip in river Godavari where he will find that-accordingly. On the next day morning Gopanna did so and found holy Sudarshana Chakra in the river with out much difficulty. He presumed that Sudarshana Chakra itself was shaped up with the divine power of his beloved God Rama. Soon after the construction, his miseries started. He was dismissed from service for mis-utilisation of revenue for constructing the temple and was kept in jail for 12 long years in Golkonda Fort and was tortured. Unable to withstand the miseries, Ramadas implored Rama to relieve him by singing many praising and emotional songs which got popularized from the stanzas of 'Dasaradhi Sathakam' and 'Keertanas' of Bhakta Ramadasa.

The Nizam Nawab Tanishah, the then ruler of Nizam's territory became a devotee of Rama who realised the devotion spirit of Ramadas after his imprisonment and took over the charge of temple administration. This resembles the communal harmony amongst the Hindus and Muslims. The Nizam Nawab realised Ramadas'devotional spirit and dedication towards Rama, when Rama and Laxmana repaid 6 lakh Mohurs exposing themselves as Ramoji and Laxmoji, the servants of Bhakta Ramadas to get release of their devotee from the imprisonment. Thanisha gave voucher to these divine looking persons who approached him at his house during late night. Then they kept the voucher under the pillow of Gopanna where he was jailed. Tanishah who woke up on the very next day morning realised that those divine looking persons were none other than Rama and Laxmana and made arrangements to get release of Gopanna and prayed to forgive him by placing all the Gold Mohurs received last night at the feet of Gopanna. But, he refused to take back those mohurs except two as a mark of divine significance. (Those two can still be seen kept in Bhadrachala Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy vaari Devasthanam).

Darshan

The day begins at the temple with "Prabhadhotsavam" or awakening ceremony at 4.30 AM with specially composed songs of Tumu Narasimhadas, poems, Sannai Trupets Naubat etc. Abhishekam will be performed at 7.00 AM to Lord Rama on Sundays and all the remaining days abhishekams will be performed at Badruni Sannithi on the same time.

Near by Visiting Places

Parnashala

This is supposed to be the exact spot where Rama, during his vanavasa in Dandakaranya, constructed a hermitage and spent his exile with his concert Sita and brother Laxmana. Agastya had selected this spot for Rama and is about 35KMs from Bhadrachalam.

The picturesque display of some scenes of vanavasa could be seen at Parnashala. One can see the foot prints of Sita devi, Mosaic of Maarecha in the guise of golden deer and Ravana in the guise of Sanyasi for Bhikshatana. Also found in the vicinity are Sita Vaagu-where she had bathed and collected the turmeric and Kunkum from near by stones and the marks of her saree on the rock near Sita Vaagu. These are all the visiting places for the piligrims. As Ravana kidnapped Sita, the deity at Parnashala is called Sokarama. The tracks of the chariot of Ravana while kidnapping sita can be seen on the mountain on the other side of the river bank at Parnashala temple.

Jattayu Paaka (యెటపాక)

This Place is situated from 2Kms away from Bhadrachalam. According to Itihasas, the bird Jatayuvu, a devotee of Rama had obstructed Ravana while he was proceeding on the chariot after kidnapping Sita. After the fearful battle between Ravana and Jataayuvu, the heavily injured bird had waited at this place in search of Rama. A wing of this bird fell at Rekkapalli, about 55 Kms from here, in V.R. Puram Mandal.

Dummugudem

Here Rama is called the Atmarama. The story reveals that Rama killed 14000 demons headed by Kharadeoshana. As the village was said to be built upon the ashes of these demons, the place is named after as Dummugudem.

Gundala

It is a place 5 Kms away from the sacred town Bhadrachalam, where springs of hot water could be traced on the river bank when we dig a pit at any place in this area. It is believed that the divine trios (Brahma Vishnu Maheswara) had their dips in winter season according to Brahma Purana.

Sree Rama Giri

This place is situated on the bank in the down stream of river Godavari, about 55 Kms from here. The deity of Yoga Rama Temple is on a hill and is named as Ramagiri.

Transportation

By Air

Nearest airport is Hyderabad RGIA, Telangana and Rajahmundry Domestic Airport, Andhra Pradesh.

By Train

Bhadrachalam Road station is the nearest railway station, which is also known as Kothagudem and is located just 40 kilometres from the Bhadrachalam town. You can hire a taxi from the railway station that will take you to Bhadrachalam.

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By Bus

Number of Telangana State Road Transport Buses ( TSRTC) are available from Hyderabad Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (Imliban Bus station) and from Jubilee Bus Station (JBS Secunderabad)

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