Bhadrachalam
Bhardrachalam, the abode of Lord Sri Rama had derived the name from Bhadra - achalam (hill), where Sri Bhadra son of Meru and Menaka had done penance for having dharshan of Lord Sri Rama. Bhardrachalam is a pilgrim center, famous for the Vaikunta Rama temple on the top of a small hill on the northern bank of the holy river Godavari. The temple in Khammam district of united Andhra is presently in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana state. The nearest railway station is Kothagudem, Bhadrachalam-Road station, which is around 40 Km from the pilgrim town. Public Transport and taxis are available from the railway station.
Legend of the temple of Sri Vaikuntha Rama
Sri Bhadra son of Meru and Menaka had done penance for having darshan of Lord Sri Rama at this holy place on the banks of River Godavari. Sri Rama gave darshan to him along with Sita Mata and Lakshmana. The deity of this depicts the form in which Sri Rama had given darshan to Sri Bhadra. This temple itself rests on Sri Bhadra. Sri Bhadra’s head is on the back side of the main sanctum [gharbhagraham] which is seen as Sri Bhadra’s heart and the entrance where rajagopuram is seen as Sri Bhadra’s feet.
There is another school of thought that states that a tribal lady named Pokala Dhammakka, the descendant of Bhakta Sabari of the Ramayana period was living in Bhadrireddypalem a place near the present Bhadrachalam. She too is an ardent devotee of Sri Rama. The presence of Vaikunta Rama and other deities in the middle of the jungle was revealed to this pious and devoted woman in a dream. She then spotted the site as indicated in the dream, cleared the jungle, and offered puja to the deities. With the help of local villagers, she constructed a small temple for the deities. In memory of this tribal woman, Pokala Dhammakka, thousands of tribals from 29 mandals visit the temple, and offer special prayers and darshan during Sita-Rama Kalyanam in this temple. They also pay floral tributes to the Dhamakka statue. One considers themselves fortunate to become part of the wedding works and provide the Goti Talambralu for the marriage. Goti Talambralu is made with rice, whose husk was removed with the nails and mixed with the turmeric powder processed with hands. Natural pearls and scents will also be added to the rice for a good aroma.
The present temple at Bhadrachalam was constructed by Goppanna known as Bhakta Ramdas. The renovation and construction of the temple premises is in itself an epic. The vimanam of this temple is crowned with Sudarshan chakram, which is very unique to this temple. In the vimanam, a replica of the main deity along with Rishi Bhadra is also seen. This temple and its deities played an important role in the life of Ramadas. [Pic: The central sanctum sanctorum of Bhadrachalam, with the Sudarshana Chakra at the top and the miniature of the temple's deity. - Courtesy: Prashanth.286]
Sri Vaikuntha Rama
Since Sri Rama had appeared as He will be in Vaikuntha the deity of this kshetra is known as Sri Vaikuntha Rama. Sri Rama appeared with four arms Sri Rama here is in a unique posture in many ways. The Lord reveals his full four-armed form here, holding a bow and arrow in His lower hands and Sankhu and Chakram in His upper hands. Sri Rama is seated in a yogic posture with Sri Sitadevi sitting on His left lap. Standing next to Him is Sri Lakshmana with bow and arrow, affectionately guarding them. All three have their right hands in the abhaya mudra, but interestingly, both Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana hold an arrow also in the same mudra. Another interesting aspect of the Lord's form is the way the Lord holds His Divine armaments Sankhu and Chakram. Normally the Lord holds Sankhu in his left hand and Chakram in his right hand. But in this kshetra, He holds the arms in the reverse position, Sankhu in His right and Chakram in his left hand, unlike in other places. It is believed that the Lord holds the Sankhu in His right hand to blow the Sankhu to announce His arrival to Saint Sri Bhadra who was on penance.
Bhakta Ramadas
Sri Kancharla Gopanna popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasa or Bhadrachala Ramadasa was born in 1620 AD at Nelakondapalli village of Khammam in Telangana and lived for 68 years on this earth.
The vimanam of Bhadrachalam temple is crowned with Sudarshan chakram, which is very unique to this temple. In the vimanam, a replica of the main deity along with Rishi Bhadra is also seen. This temple and its deities played an important role in the life of Bhadrachalam Bhakta Ramadas.
He is a devotee of Sri Rama and during his lifetime while working as a treasury officer for the Sultan Taani Shah of Golconda, he was posted in Bhadrachalam. As a Rama Bhakta Sri Goppanna while conducting his routines of collection of taxes for the royal treasury devoted time to spreading Ramanama also. During his course of duty, he visited the temple of Lord Vaikunta Rama at Bhadrachalam. The Rama Bhaktha in him was overwhelmed at the sight of Lord Vaikunta Rama. The temple then was not in good shape and Goppanna thought that the temple required renovation and reconstruction. He appealed to the people of the region to raise funds to this effect. The funds were coming but the collection was inadequate to keep pace with the construction expenditure. Goppanna thought of replenishing the treasury money with money he would get as a donation, and used the treasury money for construction expenditure.
When the news of the misuse of treasury money by Goppanna reached the sultan, he was called for an inquiry to Golconda. The sultan found him guilty and punished him with imprisonment. Subsequently, the money was repaid to the treasury by none other than Sri Rama himself and Goppanna was released from the prison.
For detailed biography of Sri Bhakta Ramadasa kindly see our web page "Sri Bhadrachalam Ramadas" under Hanumath devotees.
Bhadrachalam Bhaktha Ramadas
Today we offer our veneration to Sri Rama by singing with reverence the prayers composed by this great bhaktha Goppanna. The devotion expressed towards Sri Rama by him in the Keerthanas earned him the name Bhakta Ramadas. All his prayers are centered on Bhadrachalam Sri Vaikuntha Rama, hence the name Bhadrachalam Bhakta Ramadas. Many of the songs on Sri Rama composed by him encompass the details of the ornaments he had made and the expenditure incurred for the deities of Bhadrachalam temple. This great Sri Rama bhaktha had to spend twelve years in prison for the delinquency made by him and Sri Rama who is the embodiment of righteousness [रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः] had come to help his devotee, only after his devotee had undergone the punishment for the mistake made by him. Sri Rama had made his devotees compose prayers on Him for gifting those prayers to us!
Sri Ramadas had composed many prayers on Bhadrachalam Sri Vaikuntha Rama and his composition on Sri Hanuman of this kshetra known as ‘Sri Anjaneya Churnika’ is very popular. Churnika in Sanskrit means ‘A sort of harmonious prose, not divided into prosodical feet, but with the unbroken sentence running on continuously’.
Once the temple renovation was completed, Sri Ramadas recited this Churnika standing in front of Sri Anjaneya with ‘chamaram’ [fly-flap / fan made of soft plume]. His prayers having been answered he thanked the greatest Sri Rama Bhakta through this hymn. This great hymn recaps the entire life of Sri Hanuman. This poetic submission to Lord Hanuman is known as ‘Sri Anjaneya Curnica,’ a sort of harmonious prose, not divided into prosodial feet but with the unbroken sentence running on continuously. Readers can find the same in Tamil script on our page: 'Sri Anjaneya Curnica.'
Sri Anjaneya sannidhi
As the temple is on a hillock [hence, this kshetra is known as Bhadragiri also] one had to climb a few steps to reach the main temple praganam. Offer prayers to Sri Vaikuntha Rama, Sita maa, and Lakshmana in the main sanctum. Offer prayers at Sri Bhadra sannidhi, where Sri Rama padam and a replica of the main deity are seen along with Sri Bhadra. After offering prayers at the rest of the deities and parikrama of the temple complex, come to Sri Anjaneya sannidhi to offer prayer.
Sri Anjaneya moortham of this great kshetra is about seven feet tall. The idol is made of granite stone in standing posture. The utsava moortham [processional deity] is also seen in the sannidhi.
Sri Anjaneya
Lord is standing with His hands folded and palms joined in ‘anjali mudra’. Lord is standing beautifully in tribhanga posture. The lotus feet of the Lord are adorned with thandai and nupuram. Lord is wearing dothi in kacham style and a girdle made of a triple string of muJja-grass. Both hands are adorned with keyuram on the upper arm and a bracelet on the forearm. The bahu-vallayam adds beauty to His shoulders. The yagjopaviitam is seen across His broad chest. He is wearing two malas as ornaments adorning His bosom. The tail of the Lord is seen near His lotus feet, the end of which is slightly coiled. Lord is wearing ear studs that are touching His shoulders. Lord is also wearing ‘karna pushpam’ in His ears. Neatly combed ‘sheka’ tied in a knot [not seen].
The distinctive aspect of the Lord of this kshetra is that He is yathurmuki ie, facing the devotees directly with both eyes. His bright eyes are emanating compassion on the devotee. With such bright radiant eyes Lord of the kshetra is a figure that is to be meditated upon.
Location of the temple: "Sri Vaikuntha Rama temple, Bhadrachalam"
Experience
Dharshan of Sri Vaikuntha Rama and Sri Anjaneya at this kshetra where Rishi Bhadra and Goppanna had penanced meditating upon Sri Rama is sure to give the feeling of being in heaven [Vaikuntha] and thereby immense ‘anandha’.
SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST
THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE
Ed [February 2023]
Updates: [Jan 2025]