Bhadrachalam Temple

Bhadrachalam is one of the foremost Rama temples of South India, cherished for its links to the Ramayana and to the fervent devotion of Bhakta Ramadasu. The story of Rama repaying his devotee's debt embodies the bond between the Lord and those who surrender to him. The Sri Rama Navami wedding festival, attended by huge crowds and even state honours, is legendary. It is a supreme centre of Rama bhakti in the Telugu lands.

Bhadrachalam is revered as a site associated with Lord Rama's exile in the forest, and the temple enshrines Rama with Sita and Lakshmana in a distinctive form. It was built by Kancharla Gopanna, the tahsildar better known as Bhakta Ramadasu, who used state revenue to construct the temple out of devotion, was imprisoned by the Golconda ruler, and — as tradition beautifully recounts — was freed when Lord Rama himself repaid the debt in gold coins. The temple's location on the sacred Godavari and its association with the great devotee-composer, whose songs are still sung, give it a deeply emotional appeal. The annual Sri Rama Navami Kalyanotsavam re-enacts the celestial wedding of Rama and Sita.