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Bhadrachalam
RAMADASU

By

Tamarapu Sampath Kumaran

About the author

Mr T Sampath Kumaran is a freelance writer. He regularly contributes articles on

Management, Business, Ancient Temples and Temple Architecture to many leading
Dailies and Magazines. His articles for the young is very popular in “The Young
World section” of THE HINDU. His books on Hindu Saints, and Temples of
Pilgrimage centers have been well received in the religious circle.

He was associated in the production of two Documentary films on Nava Tirupathi

Temples, and Tirukkurungudi Temple in Tamilnadu.

Acknowledgement:
Google for the pictures and several authors for the information of the temple.
 Bhadrachalam is a temple town situated
on the banks of the Godavari River, located in the Khammam District of
Telangana state. With a probable history dating back to the events that took
place in the Ramayana, Bhadrachalam is a town perpetually thronged by
pilgrims from all corners of India.
The name Bhadrachalam comes from the word Bhadragiri, which means the
mountain abode of Bhadra—the child of Meru and Menaka. It is common
belief that the main temple here is home to the archa murthys (true idols) of
Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Their statues are also supposed to have special
powers since they are swayambhu, meaning self-manifested. The 17th century
temple is built in the Dravidian architectural style typical to South India—a
single edifice consisting of a high pyramid-shaped tower with intricate
figurines carved onto the façade

Ramadasu:

Kancharla Gopanna (1620 – 1680), popularly

known as Bhakta Ramadasu or Bhadrachala Ramadasuwas a 17th-century
Indian devotee of Lord Rama and a composer of Carnatic music. He is a
famous Vaggeyakara (classical composer) from the Telugu classical era. His
contemporaries include the stalwarts of Telugu literature such as Tallapaka
Annamayya, Tyagaraja, Kshetrayya, and Shyama Sastri. He is renowned for
constructing a famous temple for Lord Sri Rama at Bhadrachalam. His
devotional lyrics to Rama are famous in South Indian classical music as
Ramadaasu Keertanalu.
Kancherla Gopanna (Goparaju) renowned as Bhaktha Ramadasu was born in
an affluent Telugu Brahmin family to Linganna Mantri and Kamamba in
Nelakondapalli village of Khammam district. He was the nephew of Madanna
of the Madanna and Akkanna brothers who were ministers at the court of
Tana Shah of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty in Golconda. Gopanna was later hired
as the Tehsildar of Palvancha Taluk by Tana Shah.

Even the doyen of South Indian classical

music Swami Tyagaraja learned his musical compositions. from Ramadasu.
He also wrote Dasarathi Shatakamu with a 'makuTamu' 'Daasarathee Karunaa
payonidhee', a collection of nearly 108 poems dedicated to the son of
Dasaratha (Lord Rama)
Once he visited Bhadrachalam for a Jatara (fair) and was disturbed by the
dilapidated state of the temple there. Bhadrachalam was significant to
devotees of Rama for many reasons. Lord Rama is said to have stayed near the
Parnasala there with Sita and Lakshmana during his exile and also to have
visited Shabari near Bhadrachalam (although it is believed that Shabari used
to live near Kishkindha, the kingdom of Vanaras in Ramayana which is
believed to be near Hampi ). Pothana is believed to have been given direction
by Rama to translate the Bhagavata Purana into Telugu here. In spite of its
significance, the temple was utterly neglected. So, Ramadasu started to raise
funds for the renovation and reconstruction of the temple. After he emptied
his coffers from his personal funds, and could raise no more money, the
villagers appealed him to spend his revenue collections for the reconstruction
and promised to repay the amount after harvesting the crops. As such,
Ramadas finished the reconstruction of the temple with six hundred thousand
rupees collected from land revenues - without the permission of the Abul
Hasan Qutb Shah.
As the temple was nearing completion, he was perplexed one night about
fixing the Sudarshana Chakra at the crest of the main temple. On the same
night, it is believed that he saw Rama in his dream and asked him to have a
holy dip in the Godavari River. When Gopanna did so the next day, it is
believed that he found the holy Sudarshana Chakra in the river very easily.
The story continues that soon after the reconstruction, his miseries started. He
was dismissed from his job by his enemies who spread a lot of fake news.
Ramadas was cast into jail by the Sultan with orders that he be released only
after the exchequer received all the taxes in full.

After eleven to twelve years of imprisonment,listening to his prayers and

devotion Lord Rama decided that his devotee's suffering had reached its pre-
ordained ending (because of a certain transgression his soul had committed in
a previous birth)

Lord Rama and Lakshmana, disguised as two young

warriors, entered the bed-chambers of Sultan Tana Shah in the middle of the
night. They presented themselves as Ramoji and Lakshmoji and gave the
Sultan six lakh gold coins imprinted with Lord Rama's own seal, as
compensation for the spent of six lakhs of silver coins spent by Ramadasu
towards the construction of the temple. This story is told in the famous
Tyagaraja kriti Kshirasagara Sayana, in the stanza Dhirudau Ramadasuni
Bandhamu.
The Sultan was bewildered at the presence of these charming but strange
youngsters in his inner quarters at late night irrespective of tight security.
They demanded and obtained on the spot a written receipt for the money. The
receipt was shown to the jailer who released Gopanna that very same night.
The next day, both Gopanna and the Sultan realized what had happened.
Gopanna did not care much for his release but was inconsolable at his not
having seen his Lord even with all his devotion, while the Sultan was visited by
the Lord. The Lord then appeared to Gopanna in a dream and explained to
him the real reason for his actions and promised him salvation at the end of
his natural life. The Sultan, in his previous birth, was a devout follower of Lord
Shiva and had promised to perform Rudra abhishekham to Lord Shiva for 365
days after which he was convinced that Lord Shiva would appear before him.
So the Sultan began performing the abhishekham but erroneously did it for
364 days thinking that he had completed 365 days. On the 365th day, enraged
that the Lord did not appear, he broke the lingam into several pieces, upon
which the Lord appeared and made the Sultan realize his mistake.
As a punishment, the Lord said that the Sultan, in his next birth, will be born
as a non-follower; but as a reward for his having performed puja for 364 days,
Lord Rama himself will appear before him.
The Sultan was thus convinced that what had happened was a miracle of Lord
Sri Rama. He returned the entire money to the Bhadrachalam Temple. Since
then, it has been the royal custom of the Hyderabad State (now part of
Telangana State) to send gifts to the temple on the occasion of Sree Rama
navami celebrations every year.
.