Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple,
Bhadrachalam – Religious Significance
Rituals similar to Srirangam Ranganatha Swamy Temple:
As per Ramayana and other sacred
texts, Ranganatha was the Kuladevatha (tutelary deity) of the Ikshvaku Dynasty,
the clan of Lord Rama. Hence, Gopanna wanted this
temple to follow all the traditions and guidelines of the Srirangam
Ranganatha Swamy Temple. To achieve this practice, he invited five families
from Srirangam who were well versed in Pancharatra Agama traditions to Bhadrachalam.
He successfully implemented the religious practices of Srirangam
Ranganatha Swamy Temple here with the help of the migrated brahmin
families. Narasimha Dasu later introduced the Dasavidhotsavams (ten kinds
of rituals), including Nitya Kainkaryams (daily
rituals), Vaarotsavams (weekly rituals), Pakshotsavams (fortnightly
rituals), and Punarvasu Utsavam (rituals on the Punarvasu day).
Worship Procedure:
The Suprabhatha Seva (pre-dawn
ritual) begins early in the morning at 4:00 am, followed by
providing Balabhoga (minor food offerings) from 5:30 to 7:00 am.
The regular archana (prayer) activities are held from 8:30 to 11:30. Rajabhogam (main
food offering) is served to the deity from 11:30 am to 12:00 noon;
then the
temple remains closed until 3:00 pm. From 3:00,
the archana rituals continue, after which darbar Seva (the
king's court ritual) is performed from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. After a break to
offer food to the deity from 8:30 to 9:00 pm, the
temple is closed after performance of the pavalimpu seva (the
sleeping ritual).
Unique Abhisheka:
Abhisheka (anointment) in the
main sanctum is performed only to Rama's feet on the rock structure in this
temple. This ritual is also performed to the deities in the Lakshmi,
Anjaneya, and Yogananda Narasimha temple exclusively on every Friday, Tuesday,
and Saturday, respectively.
Dakshina Ayodhya:
Bhadrachalam
is often referred to as Dakshina Ayodhya (Southern Ayodhya); Ayodhya being the
capital of Rama.
Vaikuntha Rama:
The iconography of the Vaikuntha
Rama form of Rama, is unique and not found anywhere else in the country.
The Brahma Purana makes special mention of the temple's significance
and adds that Vaikuntha Rama is capable of imparting knowledge to those who
worship him at Bhadrachalam.
Divya Kshetrams:
Bhadrachalam
is considered as one of the Divya Kshetrams (special temples) that
sit on the banks of the Godavari River. Hence, the river's Pushkaram and Maha
Pushkaram are celebrated here along with others once every twelve years
and 144 years, respectively.
Saint Kabir Visit to this temple:
As per legend, when a Muslim
saint Kabir who was also a devotee of Lord Rama, was once denied
entry into the
temple by the priests. The images of the
temple disappeared for the moment. Ramadas who was there pleaded with the
priests to let the saint inside the
temple, after which the icons appeared again.
Centre of the Bhajan Tradition:
Gopanna used Bhadrachalam
as a centre of the Bhajan tradition to spread awareness of the
Vaishnavite tradition. This eventually led to the increase in the number of
Rama temples in the Telugu-speaking states across the years, especially in
villages. Gopanna's songs inspired Thyagaraja, another ardent devotee
of Rama who composed several songs in Indian carnatic music. Thyagaraja
revered Gopanna as his personal hero and he composed several songs modelled on
songs written by Gopanna in praise of Vaikuntha Rama. He later inspired
Narasimha Dasu, who composed songs in praise of Rama during his stay at Bhadrachalam.
It helped Narasimha Dasu gain recognition as a true follower of Gopanna.
Tradition of offering pearls & Silk robes to Lord
Rama:
The annual tradition of giving
pearls and silk robes to Rama on the day of his marriage celebrations has been
replicated at many other smaller temples dedicated to the deity.
Hindu Saints visit to this temple:
The Hindu saints Adi
Shankara and Thirumangai Alvar visited the
temple and offered prayers to the deity.
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