Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple

Bhadrachalam Temple, also called the Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple, stands on the bank of the Godavari River at Bhadrachalam in Bhadradri Kothagudem District, Telangana. The temple is dedicated to Lord Rama, who is worshipped here together with Sita and Lakshmana, and it is one of the major Rama shrines in South India. It dates from the seventeenth century and is closely associated with Bhakta Ramadasu, a devotee and revenue official who is remembered for building much of the temple and for composing devotional songs. Visitors approach the temple through a busy market street, climb steps to the main complex and pass through its gateway tower into the sanctum, where the deities are worshipped in a distinctive seated pose. The temple compound holds smaller shrines and a hall used for festivals, and the Godavari river ghats below are used for ritual bathing and evening lamp offerings. The best time to see the temple in full festival mood is during Sri Rama Navami, when a ceremonial wedding of Rama and Sita attracts very large crowds, and at Vaikunta Ekadasi in winter. Photography of the sanctum is not permitted, but views of the river and the temple exterior can be photographed. A visit takes two to three hours, depending on the darshan queue, and the temple opens daily from about 4:00AM to 8:00PM, with breaks between darshan slots. General darshan is free, while special darshan costs about INR 50 to 200. On regular weekdays the wait is manageable, but weekends, holidays and festival days can bring long queues. The town is about 300 km from Hyderabad, and Bhadrachalam Road railway station is 40 km away, so most visitors travel by road or overnight bus. Modest traditional dress is expected, and visitors should remove footwear before entering the temple.