Bhadrachalam Ramaswami temple has also become famous, by its association with a great Rama Bhakta, Saint Ramadas, who was very closely and in timately associated with the temple.

Saint Ramadas was originally named as Gopanna and was the nephew of Akkanna and Madanna, who were Hindu civil servants in the reigns of the last Kutub Shahi king Tanishah. Ramadas were a Taluk official who was sent here to collect the revenues for his masters.

He was born in 1620 AD at Nelakondapalli in Andhra Desam and lived for 68 years on this earth.In the last verse of his Dasarathi Satakam, he describes himself this way: "Allana Linga Mantri Suthudu(son), Atreya Gothrudu, Adi Sakha, Kancherla Kulothbhavudu, Gopakavindrudu ". His give name was Gopanna . His father was Linganna Mantri(Minister), a surname he kept as a result of one of his forebearers being a minister at the court of a king. People called Gopanna by the name familiar to us as Bhadrachala Ramadas, because of his devotion to the Vaikunta Rama enshrined at Bhadrachalam, a small village in the middle of the jungle on the northern banks of the holy river Godhavary.

The temple of Rama here is on a small hillock. Some 22 miles to the north of Bhadrachalam on the bank of Godhavary is said to be the place of Parnasaala of Rama and Sita. This is by legend said to be the site where Ravana abducted Sita (Nasik-Panchavati is another site mentioned regarding the location of Parnasaala). At the spot, where Sita lived with her dear Rama, there are two kinds of stone, one Yellow and another red in color.

Natives call them Pasupu Rallu and Kumkuma Rallu since they give powders on rubbing, which look like Turmeric and Kumkumam(red Saffron) . These stones are said to be used by Sita Devi for her bathing and decoration. There is a tree earby, which is said to be Surpanaka. Pilgrims consider it their religious duty to throw a stone at this tree ! The base of the tree is covered with a huge assembly of stones.

He collected the revenues, but instead of remitting them to his masters, he thought that the money could be better used for constructing a temple for Srirama, and hence without any, thought for the conse- quences, he spent all the money, by enlarging the small temple and by conducting several festivals in the temple.

He was found a guilty of embezzlement of State funds and was sentenced to be imprisoned by Tanashah. Tradition has it that he was imprisoned for about 12 years.

Ramadas were a Bhakta and a mystic of a very rare caliber, and he had merged his own individuality in the contemptation of the Divine Ramachandra. He had become one with the Lord and in fact be had his being in the Lord. He was therefore not affected by the imprisonment of his own body, and was spending his time in ecstatic contemplation and prayer of the Lord.

Sri Rama was so pleased with thedevotion of this great Bhakta, that he himself appeared before Tanashah the Kutub Shahiruler, in the form of Gopanna alias Saint Ramadas and showered, by his grace, lakes of rupees equivalent to the amount that had been spent by Ramadas.

Tanashah was taken aback in amazement at this divine miracle. He was a great king who, though a Muslim, was catholic in his approachto the other religions andrecognizing the greatness of Saint Ramadas, released him and encouraged him in his pious work.

He also allowed Saint Ramadas to mint gold coins, popularly known as 'Ramatangi', in the same shape in which Lord Ramachandra showered the coins before Tanashah. Saint Ramadas has composed several beautiful Telugu Kritis in praise of Sri Ramachandra.

The temple at Bhadrachalam has the Archa Murthys of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana and are considered to be Svayambhu Murthys (self-manifested ones). The resence of these deities in the middle of the Jungle was revealed to one pious woman by the name Dhammakka in a dream. She was considered to belong to the kulam of Sabari .Dhammakka hastened to the site, cleared jungle and offered puja to the deities.

This temple and its deities played a central role in the life of Ramadas. He was at the time the Tasildhaar of Bhadrachalam and began to collect funds from people to build a proper temple for Sri Ramachandra at Bhadragiri. When there was not enough funds to complete the temple, Praakaram construction and the elebration of Utsavams for Sri Rama and Sita, he took the money from the tax revenue of his king (Taani Shah of Golconda) and vowed to return it back to the state treasury. TaniShah was angry at the Tasildhaar for channeling the state money and had Ramadas arrested and locked him up in a prison close to his palace.

His incarceration gave Ramadas the name of Bandekhana Ramadas. From the prison, he cried out for Rama and reminded him about his services in his moving song "Ishvaku Kula Tilaka". Here he has some rough words for Rama for not taking care of him inspite of his devoted and caring services to Sri Rama and His family. Sri Rama responded and came with his brother to the court of Tanisha in the form of two youngsters and paid back the debt of Ramadas and got his release papers.

The golden coins paid by Sri Rama are known as Ram Tanka coins. They can be seen even today. These coins have the Pattabhishekam scene on one side and the picture of another Rama Bhaktha, Anjaneya on the other side.

Tanisha was moved and recognized the greatness of Rama Das and released him immediately and gave him land around Bhadrachalam to continue his dedicated service to Bhadrachala Ramamurthy. Here Ramadas spent the rest of his life and composed moving poems that inspired Saint Thyagaraja later. Latte rhas paid his tribute to the illustrious Rama Bhakthi of Ramadas in many of his Krithis (Kshira sagara sayana in Devagandhari, Brindavanalola in Thodi, Kaligiyunde Gada in Kirvani, Emi Dova Balkuma In Saranga and in Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam).

Two examples of Saint Thyagaraja"s tribute to the Rama Bhakthi of Ramadfas are as follows :

In the Devagandhari krithi he asks Rama: "Dhirudau Ramadasuni Bandhamu dirchinadi Vinnanura Rama? (O Rama! I have heard how You obtained the release of the BOLD Ramadas from his prison life).

In his Padya in Prahlada Vijayam., we find another tribute:

KALIYUGAMUNA VARA BHADRA CHALAMUNA NELAKONNA
RAMACHANDRUNI PADA BHAKTULA KELLA VARUDANANDAGI
VELASINA SRI RAMADASU VINUTINTU MADIN

(I praise Sri Ramadas, who shines in this world as the supreme devotee of Sri Ramachandra, who shines forth from his seat at Bhadracahlam in this kali Yuga).

Saint Thyagaraja adopted Sri Ramadas as his role model and admired latter for his Ananya Bhakti, gaining Rama Sakshaatkara and spreading Rama Nama Siddhaantha. Saint Thyagarahja referred to himself as the Dasa Of Ramadas and equated the Bhadrachala Ramadas to other sterling devotees of Rama such as Narada, Parasara, Valmiki et al.

The Bhagavad anubhavam of Bhadrachala Ramadas poured forth from his heart and lips in the form of many krithis and Divyanamas. They are mostly in Telugu with the exception of two in Sanskrit. The simple language used for these Bhakti-laden songs captured the minds of paamaraas and Pandithaas.

Professor P.Sambhamoorthy, the great musicologst has classified Ramadas krithis into three categories:

1.Those composed before his incarceration
2.Those composed during his incarceration
3.Songs composed after his release

He can be outspoken in his conversations with Rama like Thirumangai in his Madals. Saint Thyagaraja adopted this style in his anubhavam of Sri Rama. The song "Ishvaku Kula Tilaka" referred to by Rajiv is an example of such a mood. Another example of this type of plain talk is provided in his Kambhoji krithi, "Adarana Leni": Ennaga Sabari Yengili Bhakshanamu Chesinathi Vyabichari Nivu Ninnu Nammagarraadu ! Ninnu Daiva Manaraadu ! Nijamu na mata Devuda ".

At other times, he will beg tenderly for Rama to appear before him(Ramararaa Sita--Anandhabhairavi), Oh Rama Ni Nama Memi Ruchira --Purvikalyani). He will say in one Krithi, "Takkuvemi Manaku (Surykaantam Ragam )" and explain: "What do we need, When Rama is at our side? "in a mood of Maha Viswasam, an anga of Saranagathi. Elsewhere, he will appeal to Sita Devi to come to his rescue and speak to Her Lord as an expression of Her Purushakaaram.

Two such songs are Ramachandrulu Naapai (Asaaveri) and Nanu Brovamani Cheppaveh (Kalyani). Sri Balamurali"s soulful rendering of these two Krithis in a 1977 recording are moving. He begs Sita Devi this way: "O Mother, My mother! When You are alone with your Lord and my Father after the day"s events, Please speak to him on my behalf and create a compassionate mood in Him. Please Remind Him of my sufferings and and ask Him to cast His merciful glances at me. Thru another Krithi, he will experience Karpanyam (another anga of Saranagathi) and will say "I do not know in which way you are going to come to my rescue. O Paramatma! How can I succeed in swimming in these Samsaric Ocean without your help? (Ea Theeruga Nanu Daya Choochedavo-Mayamalava Gowlam). Using Madhyamavati ragam, he will cry his heart out for the protection by Rama (Pahi rama Prabho ).

Examples of some other Krithis reflecting his moods of Bhakthi (Sanchaari Bhaavas) are:

1.Nirveda and Dainyokthi(Despondency and Plaintive pleading):

In Paluke Bangaramayena(Anandhabhairavi), He asks the Lord:

"O Rama! Why wont you speak to me? I wont forget the chanting of your Taraka Nama even in my sleep". He is said to have received the Taraka Nama Upadesam from Bhaktha Kabir Das, another great Rama Bhaktha in his dream. Kabir Das receded Ramadas by two hundred Years. After receiving his Upadesam, Ramadas sung his Danyaasi Krithi " Taraka Mantramu ", where he proudly announced that He has been blessed and that he has found his salvation. He made his first trip to Bhadrachalam by boat and at one bend of the river caught his first glimpse of the Lord"s temple on the Badra Hill and sang with ecstacy "Idhigo Bhadradri " in Varali Ragam. At this temple, Sri Rama has Sita seated on his left thigh and carries chakram in the left hand and sankham on his right hand. Lakshmana stands by in vigil to serve His brother. Ramadas landed from the boat and offered his profound salutations to Sri Rama and sang in Suryakantam " Takkuvemi Manaku". Like Swami Desikan, he expressed here his Vairagyam and said " What else do I need, when Ramachandra is at our side?" He sang Pallandu to the Lord like Periyaazhwaar in his Kurunji raga krithi, "Ramachandrayya " and hailed " O Rama living in the heart of your devotee Ramadas, May ALL auspiciousness befall You."

The Bhagavad Anubhavam and the Bhakti Prakaaras (Forms of Devotion) of this great Rama Bhaktha set an example to other great Rama Bhakthas like Saint Thyagaraja.

"Paluke bangaramaye pilachina palukavemi
Kalalo Ni namasmarana maruvanu chakkani thandri
Yentha vedinanu niku sunthyna daya radu
Panthamu cheya Ne nenthativadanu thandri."

He was thus a mystic who had become saturated with the Lord's name and had lost himself in the contemplation of the Lord.

Ramadas, in addition to expanding the temple and constructing Mantapas and Gopuras, also made suitablearrangements for conducting several festivals to the Lord and particularly Sri Rama Navami Utsavam which is even today being conducted on a grand scale here.

He also commenced another temple for Sri Ranganathaswamy, which is still existent. At this stage a merchant named Varada- rama Das brought two lakes of rupees to Bhadrachalam, and helped him in comple- ting his work.

This temple which is so closely associated with Tanashah, the last of the Golconda Nawabs, came within the political purview of the Asaf Jahi dynasty which ruled from Hyderabad. The temple was till recently getting an endowment of Rs.20,000/- from the Nizam's treasury, for the main tenance of the worship of Sri Rama.

This itself is proof of the popularity of the temple amongst the followers of various religions.

The temple is situated on the Right Bank of the Godavari on an elevated hillock about 40 steps high.It may be said tostand practically on the bank of the Godavari River. The main entrance of the temple is crowned by a tall inspiring Gopura, which takes one into the inner Prakara of the temple.

The main shrine houses the image of Lord Srirama and adjacent to this stands the Utsava Vigraham of the Lord withGoddess Seeta and Laxmana on either side.

This particular image of Sri Rama is peculiar and differs from the usual figure of Sri Rama found elsewhere.

Normally Sri Rama is depicted in the Thribhanga or Samabhanga pose with two hands only, holding in one hand the bow and in the other the arrow.

Sri Rama at Bhadrachalam has got four hands and is called "Chaturbhuja Rama." The Lord holds the usual Sarnga (or Kodanda bow) and Bana in his front two hands, and in the two rear hands holds the Sankha and the Chakra which are characteristic of th e images of Lord Vishnu. Such manifestations of 'Chaturbhuja Rama' are rare and are very significant for ritual worship.

However, the images of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are arresting by theirdivine beauty and anyone who meditates before the deity would feel that the image has not been made merely as a piece of sculpture, as an icon of the Lord,by an ordinary Sthapathi, but he's been done by some great mystic, in a moment of complete and ecstatic oneness with the Lord. Such arresting beauty in sculpture is not known anywhere else.

Bhadrachalam is thus the most famous temple not only in Andhra but also in the whole of India, of Sri Ramachandra. There are only two other temples of Sri Ramachandra in the whole of Andhra viz., the Kodandaramaswami Alayam at Tirupati, and the Rama Mandiram at Ontimitta in Cuddapah District where Bhakta Potana got inspiration.

The entire river Godavari running for 900 miles from the Nasik hills down to the sea near Rajahmundry, is holy ground for the Hindus, with its association with the life of Sri Rama. It was at Bhadrachalam that Sri Rama lost Sita, and it was here that he manifested himself to save his devotee Ramadas. The Puranic tradition, the historical facts and the local legends are so inextricably intertwined that the sanctity of the place as been enhanced rather than diminished.

The great concourse of the pilgrims who flock to Bhadrachalam during Sri Rama Navami days is nearly as much as of those who visit the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna in the north.

Especially in April, endless streams of pilgrims make up the famous Bhadrachala Yatra.

The Yatra has to be accomplished through a serpentine track, which creeps up many an ancient hill and passes through many dales and woods which comprise the great Dandakaranya forest, which was a silent witness to the woes and wanderings of Sri Rama during his exile.

From Burgampahad, pilgrims cross the river Godavari by ferry, boats, like sinful souls crossing the Vaitarani river, and at' the end of it, there comes into sight the tall Gopuram of the temple surrounded by twenty-four other temples.

There are interesting and popular local legends about the, finding and building of this temple. The legend runs as follows. When Abul Hasan Tanashah, the last Kutub Shahi ruler, was reigning at Golconda, an unlettered woman, by name Dammakka, was living in a hamlet near the hill of Bhadrachalam.

Shesaw in a vision the images of SriRama, Sita and Lakshmana lying, sheltered from prying eyes, in an unfrequented spot on the top of the hill.

Next day, she and her daughter climbed up the hill and discovered the idols on the spot, which she had seen in her dream.

Dammakka had a small Mantapa constructed on the top for housing the idols. At that time, in a neighboring village called Nela- kondapalli, one Gopanna, who was the nephew and son-in-law of the King's Mini- ster Akkanna, was living.

This Gopanna became famous later as Saint Ramadas. One day, Gopanna joined a small group of pilgrims climbing up the hill, and came across Kabir Das, a Muslim devotee, who was also proceeding to pay his homage to the deities.

The Hindu servants of the temple objected to the Muslim devotee entering the temple, and Saint Kabir who was denied darshan of the Lord felt sad and miserable.

Since he was denied a vision of the Lord, at that moment, the deities also vanished from view. Gopanna observed that the Lord did not attach any importance to the external form of worship, or the religion to which a person belonged, but rather to the inner sincerity and strength of devotion.

Thereupon he requested the Archakas to permit Kabir also into the temple, where upon the Lord also re-appeared. Gopanna then received Upadesam from Kabir, and assumed the name of Ramadas or the servant of Rama.

Sri Ramadas Keerthanas:

• idigO bhadrAdrI gautami adigO cUDaMDI
• tAraka maMtramu kOrina dorikenu
• palukE baMgAramAyenA kOdaMdapANi
• E tIrugananu daya jUcedavO
• pAhi rAmaprabhO
• rAmacaMdrulu nApai
• nanubrOvamanI ceppAvE
• ikshvAku kula tilaka
• takkuvEmi manakU
• rAmacaMdrAya

This is perhaps the solitary and unique instance of Muslim patronage of a Hindu temple, which was continued till very recently. Under the Nizam's rule, the Tahsildar stationed at Burgampad was responsible for the maintenance of the temple, and for the preservation of its treasures. The Hyderabad Government was spending Rs. 20,000/- out of its State revenues for the upkeep of the temples. Bhadrachalam has thus the happy and unique tradition of Muslim patronage of a Hindu temple.

It, is sanctioned by its association with Saint Ramadas and is a famous and sacred shrine of Andhra, well worth a visit. For More information related to this please Click Here.