BHADRACHALAM - A rare temple of Lord Sri Rama

Vaikunta Rama Kshethra....

As per legend, Lord Vishnu in order to fulfill the promise (which He forgot) given to his devotee Bhadra (son of Meru Parvatha) during His avathara as Sri Rama came from Vaikunta and gave darshan in the form of Lord Sri Rama along with his consort Goddess Sita Devi, brother Lakshmana at this place on Bhadradri hills and got manifested there at the request of his devotee Bhadra.

Thenceforth, the place came to be known in the name of Bhadra as Bhadrachala or Bhadraadri. The place where the temple has come up is believed to be the spot where Lord Sri Rama had lived along with Goddess Sita Devi during His sojourn in Dandakaranya on the banks of the holy river Godavari.

Rarity of this temple is that the Lord Vishnu in his hurry to fulfill the promise given to his devotee came to give darshan carrying his disc Sudarshana Chakra and his Kounch in apasavya position. Generally we find Lord Vishnu holding Sudarshana Chakra in the right hand and his Kounch in the left hand. But here He is seen holding them in a reverse way.

Another rarity of this temple is, usually Lord Sri Rama is depicted with only two hands like any other human being with bow and arrow. But here He is seen with Chaturbhuja (four hands) holding disc and kounch in his upper arms; bow and arrow in his lower arms with his lower right hand in abhaya mudra. That is why he is called Vaikunta Rama or Rama Narayana where the Lord Sri Rama is in his original form ie. Lord Vishnu.

There is also another popular legend attached to this temple. During 17th century (1630 AD) Saint Rama Das (Kancharla Gopanna) a great devotee of Lord Sri Rama constructed the temple at Bhadrachalam and arranged for ornaments to the Lord. At that time he was working as Tahsildar under the rulership of Abdul Hassan Thaaneesha, the Nawab of Golkonda under Nizam dynasty.

In the process, Ramadas had arranged for funds from the revenues collected for which he had to undergo punishment (imprisonment for 12 years) due to embezzlement of State funds and was kept in Golkonda jail by the Nawab. One can see even today the evidences of his imprisonment in Golkonda fort at Hyderabad and the life spent by Bhaktha Ramadas in jail.

Being a staunch devotee of Lord Sri Rama, the money spent by Rama Das for the temple at Bhadrachalam was duly returned to the Nawab by Lord Sri Rama Himself who came in disguise. Money returned was believed to be to the tune of six lakh Gold gold mohars called Rama Tankas having symbol of Rama Pattabhishekam which can be seen even today.

(image courtesy as mentioned in the picture)

The legend goes on to say that the Lord always comes to the rescue of his sincere and true devotees though initially they might suffer due to their Prarabdha Karma. Bhakta Ramadas, besides being a staunch devotee of Lord Sri Rama and architect of the famous Bhadrachalam Sri Rama temple was also a poet,composer/musician and philosopher.

The temple is located at Bhadrachalam in Khammam district of Telangana State (erstwhile Andhra Pradesh) about 300 km from Hyderabad on the banks of sacred river Godavari called Goutami Ganga (Deccan Ganges).

Dedicated to Lord Sri Rama, Bhadrachalam known as Dakshina Ayodhya is one of the main pilgrim centers of Andhra Pradesh well connected by Road from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Warangal, Karimnagar and other main cities of Andhra Pradesh. By rail it is on the Madras – Delhi main line, one has to get down at Khammam or Kothagudem and catch a bus to Bhadrachalam.

Sree Raama Raama Raamethi Rame Raame Manorame
Sahasra Naama Thattulyam Raama Naama Varaanane

Aapadaamapa Harthaaram Daatharam Sarva Sampadaam
Lokaabhiraamam Sree Raamam Buhuyo Bhuuyo Namaamyaham

Sree Raama Jaya Raama Jaya Jaya Raama

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu