Bhadrachalam Temple

Sita Ramachandraswamy temple
One of the gopurams of the temple
Sita Ramachandraswamy temple Location in Telangana
Name
Other names	Bhadrachalam, Bhadragiri, Bhadradri, Dakshina Ayodhya
Proper name	Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy temple
Geography
Coordinates	17°40′0.92″N 80°52′57.94″E / 17.6669222°N 80.8827611°E / 17.6669222; 80.8827611Coordinates: 17°40′0.92″N 80°52′57.94″E / 17.6669222°N 80.8827611°E / 17.6669222; 80.8827611
Country	India
State	Telangana
District	Bhadradri Kothagudem district
Location	Bhadrachalam
Culture
Primary deity	Vaikuntha Rama (Rama)
Consort	Sita
Important festivals	Vasantha Paksha Prayukta Srirama Navami Brahmotsavam Vaikuntha Ekadashi Vijayadashami
History and governance
Creator	Kancherla Gopanna
Website	http://www.bhadrachalamonline.com

The Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy temple is a South Indian Hindu temple dedicated to Rama, the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu. It is located on the shores of the Godavari River in the town of Bhadrachalam, a part of the Bhadradri Kothagudem district in Telangana state. Often simply referred to as Bhadrachalam or Bhadradri, the temple is considered one of the Divya Kshetrams of Godavari and is also revered as Dakshina Ayodhya. According to the legend, Vishnu appeared to Meru's son Bhadra as Rama to answer the latter's prayers. However, Vishnu forgot that Rama was a mortal human and appeared as Vaikuntha Rama with four hands. Sita and Lakshmana form part of the temple's moolavar.

The self-manifested moolavar was discovered in the 17th century by Pokala Dhammakka, a tribal woman living in Bhadrareddypalem. After she built a mandapam for the idols, Bhadrachalam's tehsildar Kancherla Gopanna constructed this temple during the reign of Abul Hasan Qutb Shah. After Gopanna, Tumu Lakshmi Narasimha Dasu and Varada Ramadasu looked after the temple's rituals. Bhadrachalam follows the Vaishnavite Pancharatra Agama tradition, and its system of worship is modelled on that of the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam. The temple has four entrances; the Rajagopuram is located at the northern entrance, which is called the Vaikuntha Dwaram. The temple houses a number of sub-shrines and a few mandapams.

Bhadrachalam is notable for its principal deity Vaikuntha Rama, a form of Rama not found anywhere else in the country. According to the Brahma Purana, the temple's deity is capable of imparting knowledge to those who worship him. Gopanna used Bhadrachalam as a centre of the Bhajan tradition to spread awareness of the Vaishnavite tradition. The annual Brahmotsavam is the biggest festival celebrated in Bhadrachalam; the key event is the Sri Sitarama Thirukalyana Mahotsavam, or the marriage of Rama and Sita on the eve of Sri Rama Navami. Other important festivals celebrated in Bhadrachalam are Vaikuntha Ekadashi, Vasanthotsavam, and Vijayadashami.