Bhadrachalam Temple

Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as Bhakta Ramadas is known to have constructed the Bhadrachalam Temple. He was born in Nelakondapalli village of Khammam Taluka to Linganna Murthy and Kadamba during 17th century. He was the nephew of Akkanna, the administrative head in the court of Nawab Abul Hussain Shah, who was the Taneshah of Golconda. He was appointed as Tahasildar of Palvoncha Paragana. He was doing his official duties earnestly and was feeding the poor’s at his house. One day he heard the news that villagers of his area are proceeding to witness Jatara at Bhadrachalam. Out of so much curiousity, he too visited the holy place and found the deities in beautiful appearance.For the construction of temple, Ramadas asked the villagers to contribute liberally. Due to un sufficient amount, the villagers appealed to him to spend the revenue collection with a promise to repay the amount after harvesting the crops. Therefore, Ramadas constructed the temple without the permission of Golconda Nawab with Rs.6 lakhs collected from land revenues.

When the temple was almost near completion, he had a problem of fixing Sudarshana Chakra at the crest of the main temple. He was deeply worried and fall asleep. That night, Lord Rama came into his dream and told him to take a holy dip in the Godavari River. On the very next morning, he took a dip and found the Sudarshana Chakra without much difficulty. Soon after the construction, he got trapped for the mis-utilisation of revenue for building the temple and was jailed for 12 years in Golconda Fort. Unable to believe the miseries, Ramadas implored Lord Rama by singing very emotional and praising songs. The Golconda King Taneshah realized the Ramadas’s devotional spirit when he was repaid the lost revenue amount by the Lord Rama itself with his brother Lakshmana who came as servants of Bhakta Ramadas to his fort to get release of their devotee from imprisonment. Next morning, Taneshah realized that those servants were none other than Rama and Lakshmana. After knowing this, he released Ramadas and prayed to forgive him by putting all the gold coins received last night at his feet. But Ramadas refused to take back those coins, except two which he installed in the temple as a mark of divine power. These coins can still be seen in Bhadrachalam temple even today. Influenced by Lord Rama, Golconda King Taneshah also became his follower and started offering pearls on the occasion of Sri Ram Navami every year as a token of love. This is perhaps the unique instance of Muslim patronage of a Hindu temple. This procedure is still followed by the present State government every year.

The main idol in the temple is of Lord Sri Rama being represented as a handsome and charming person, with well-built physique, holding Dhanus and Bana in his both hands, and standing in the ‘Tribhanga’ attitude as opposed to the ‘Samabhanga’ pose. Sita stands near him, also in the Tribhanga attitude, with a lotus in one hand and the other hand shown in the ‘Katyavalambita’ posture.

Today, this temple is famous not only in Telangana but throughout India and worldwide, and inspite of the difficulty of its approach, the magical charm of the idol attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.

There are several myths and legends associated to the temple. Bhadrachalam site is very closely related to Ramayana. It is said that Ram, Sita and Lakshmana have stayed for sometime at Parnasala, which is only 30 km from Bhadrachalam during their 14 years of Vanvasa. This was the same place where Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. According to a legend, rishi named Bhadra lived here, a boon child of Meru and Menaka and passionate devotee of Lord Rama, who was promised moksha by him. He did intense penance at the bank of river Godavari in Dandakaranya till Tretha Yuga was over. Lord Rama could not accomplish his promise given to Bhadra during Ramavatara. Pleased by Bhadra’s unselfish devotion, Lord Vishnu manifested himself as Vykunta Rama, went to his devotee and signaled his arrival by blowing Shanku, accompanied by Sita and brother Lakshmana and granted him moksha. The hillock on which deities were seated was the head place of Bhadra- Achala, the hill and, hence, the place was named Bhadrachalam, after the name of Bhadra Maharishi.

Another legend associated with this place is Pokala Dhammaka. She was a true devotee of Lord Rama and was an inhabitant of Bhadri reddy palem. It is said that Lord Rama appeared in her dream and informed her about the existence of idols on the Bhadragiri hills. On the very next day, she started searching the deities. On her way, she peeped into an anthill and found the deities hidden inside it. To take out the deities, she poured hundreds of pots of Godavari water on anthill. She used to perform pooja daily and got a mandapam built with the help of local villagers. Lord Rama also told her that one day one of his devotees will construct a temple at this site. Dhamakka waited patiently for it and that devotee turned out to be Bhakta Ramadas.