Bhadrachalam (Lang-te?????????) was a census town which recently turned out to be a Municipal Corporation in Khammam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Bhadrachalam Temple, where the presiding deity is Lord Rama, is an important site of pilgrimage for Hindus. It is situated on the banks of the river Godavari (Godavari River).

In 1959 Bhadrachalam Revenue Division consisting of Bhadrachalam and Nuguru Venkatapuram Taluks of East Godavari district, which were on the other side of the river Godavari were merged into Khammam on grounds of geographical contiguity and administrative viability.When Telangana state is formed this entire division consisting of 7 mandals from Wazeedu to Vararamachandrapuram mandals will be shifted to East Godavari District.

The town is connected to other major towns by rail and by road. Bhadrachalam is about 130 kilometres (approx. 82miles) from district head quarters Khammam and 320 kilometres from Hyderabad (Hyderabad, India). The nearest railway station to Bhadrachalam is at a distance of 40 kilometres, in a town called Kothagudem. The railway station at Kothagudem was named as Bhadrachalam road due to its proximity to the important pilgrimage center. However, the Kothagudem railway station does not provide access to many important destinations, and hence to travel to other cities such as Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai, etc., the district head quarters, Khammam is the nearest Railway station. Bhadrachalam, as known is famous as temple town, besides it has some other specialities, an ITC LIMITED- PAPERBOARDS AND SPECIALTY PAPERS DIVISION factory is located on the opposite bank of the town Bhadrachalam in a small village called Sarapaka. Bhadrachalam town is the gateway of agency area (dhandakaranya). Bhadrachalams name has been derived from "Bhadragiri" (Mountain of Bhadra - a boon child of Meru and Menaka).

Bhadrachalam is a small town in south India on the banks of river Godavari, the town is famous for "Sri Seetaramachandra Swamy temple" which is the unique temple in India dedicated to lord Rama. Presently it is the biggest kshetra of Sri Rama after Ayodhya. It is the 17th century Shri Ram temple perches on a small hillock, encircled by the holy river Godavari flowing towards southern direction.Bhadrachalam attracts hundreds and thousands of devotees from all over the world.

Bhadrachalam is most picturesquely situated in an area, which once formed part of the Dandakaranya forest, visited by Sri Rama,Sita and Lakshmana during their exile (vanavasam). The jungle in the vicinity of the temple was the actual site of Ramas retreat and it was at the parnasala (32 km from here) that he built a hut for himself and Sita and from where Sita was abducted by Ravana.The history of this shrine stands for the significance of Ramayana Era, and vicinity of the temple had its incongruous add mixture of another story which depicts the exigency of " Sri Mahavishnu " to manifest himself as Rama long after Ramavatara was to fulfill his promise to his Bhakta Bhadra (a mountain king), a sage who had been continuing the frightened penance to get grace of Lord Rama.The name Bhadrachalam derived from Bhadragiri (Mountain of Bhadra - child of Meru and Menaka). The temple at Bhadrachalam has the Archa Murthys of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana and are considered to be Svayambhu Murthys (self-manifested ones).Srirama appeared in a dream to a woman called Pokala Dammakka and informed here about the existence of vigrahas on Bhadragiri hills. To her surprise she found the "Vigrahas" and put up a modest structure.Dhammakka ,cleared jungle and offered puja to the deities. This was the origin of the present temple. The Temple was constructed in the 17th Century by the local Tahsildar, Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as Bhakta Ramadas, a fervent devotee of Lod Sree Rama.People called Gopanna by the name familiar to us as Bhadrachala Ramadas, because of his devotion to the Vaikunta Rama enshrined at Bhadrachalam.

Two festivals are most important here at Bhadrachalam - Annual Kalyanotsavam on the eve of Sri Rama navami, during Sri Rama Navami(march-April) there is a huge influx of pilgrims not only from Andhra districts, but also from other distant places to attend the wedding of Lord Rama with Sita. Vaikunta Ekadasi (Mukkoti). Sree Seetaramachandra swamy will give darshan through the Vaikuntha dwaram on the eve of Mukkoti(December-January). This shrine was built by a devotee of Lord Rama, Kancherla Gopanna popularly known as Bhakta Ramadasu in the 17th century (1630 A. D.). Gopanna was the Tasildar of Bhadrachalam (in the second half of the 17th century) is said to have utilized money from the government treasury to build this temple, and was imprisoned in a dungeon at Golconda. Lord Rama is said to have miraculously given the Sultan the money spent by Gopanna, after which he was released. Gopanna then became Bhadrachala Ramadasu, and went on to compose innumerable number of songs in Telugu (Telugu language) in praise of Rama.

For more information on Bhadrachalam, visit www.bhadrachalarama.org