Bhadrachalam
In 1959 Bhadrachalam Revenue Division consisting of Bhadrachalam and
Nuguru Venkatapuram Taluks of East Godavari district, which were on the
other side of the river Godavari were merged into Khammam on grounds of
geographical contiguity and administrative viability.
The town is connected to other major towns by rail and by road.
Bhadrachalam is about 130 kilometres (approx. 82miles) from district
headquarters Khammam and 320 kilometres from Hyderabad. The nearest railway station to Bhadrachalam is at a distance of 40 kilometres, in a town called Kothagudem. The railway station at Kothagudem was named as Bhadrachalam road due to its proximity to the important pilgrimage center. However, the Kothagudem railway station does not provide access to many important destinations, and hence to travel to other cities such as Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai, etc., the district headquarters, Khammam
is the nearest Railway station. Bhadrachalam, as known is famous as
temple town. Bhadrachalam town is the gateway of agency area
(dhandakaranya). Bhadrachalam's name has been derived from "Bhadragiri"
(Mountain of Bhadra - a boon child of Meru and Menaka).
Presently it is the biggest kshetra of Sri Rama after Ayodhya. It is
the 17th century Shri Ram temple perches on a small hillock, encircled
by the holy river Godavari flowing towards southern direction.
Bhadrachalam attracts devotees from all over the world.
Bhadrachalam is situated in an area, which once formed part of the
Dandakaranya forest, visited by Sri Rama,Sita and Lakshmana during their
exile (vanavasam). The jungle in the vicinity of the temple was the
actual 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 Svayambhu Murthys
(self-manifested ones).Srirama appeared in a dream to a woman called
Pokala Dammakka and informed here about the existence of vigrahas on
Bhadragiri hills. To her surprise she found the "Vigrahas" and put up a
modest structure.Dhammakka, cleared jungle and offered puja to the deities. This was the origin of the present temple.
The Temple was constructed in the 17th Century by the local
Tahsildar, Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as Bhakta Ramadas, a
fervent devotee of Lord Sree Rama.People called Gopanna by the name
familiar to us as Bhadrachala Ramadas, because of his devotion to the
Vaikunta Rama enshrined at Bhadrachalam.
Two festivals are most important here at Bhadrachalam - Annual
Kalyanotsavam on the eve of Sri Rama navami, during Sri Rama
Navami(march-April) there is a huge influx of pilgrims not only from
Andhra districts, but also from other distant places to attend the
wedding of Lord Rama with Sita. Vaikunta Ekadasi (Mukkoti). Sree
Seetaramachandra swamy will give darshan through the Vaikuntha dwaram on
the eve of Mukkoti(December–January). This shrine was built by a
devotee of Lord Rama, Kancherla Gopanna popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasu
in the 17th century (1630 A. D.). Gopanna was the Tasildar of
Bhadrachalam (in the second half of the 17th century) is said to have
utilized money from the government treasury to build this temple, and
was imprisoned in a dungeon at Golconda. Lord Rama
is said to have miraculously given the Sultan the money spent by
Gopanna, after which he was released. Gopanna then became Bhadrachala
Ramadasu, and went on to compose innumerable number of songs in Telugu in praise of Rama.
