20th All India Conference of NUPE,Group C

Bhadrachalam

The Abode of Sri Rama

  
    THE 20TH ALL INDIA CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT BHADRACHALAM,ANDHRAPRADESH CIRCLE FROM 17TH TO 19TH FEBRUARY 2013.THE NEAREST RAILWAY STATIONS ARE KHAMMAM AND VIJAYAWAD (BZA). 

DETAILS BELOW.  

GENERAL SECRETARY

Bhadrachalam, a temple city in the state Andhra Pradesh of a renowned pilgrim centre in South India. A flamboyant place, where the majestic River Godavari found winding with its vast stretch of sand, is considered to be very holy as the town is believed to have been the stage for many events in the great epic Ramayana.

This glowing city with tremendous temples, invites thousands of devotees throughout the year. This tribal hamlet acquired its present name from Bhadra, who was a great devotee of Lord Ram. A rather sleepy locale, Bhadrachalam awakes to life at the glorious occasion of Sri Ramanavami celebrations when large folks gather here to witness the holy wedding of Lord Ram and Sita.

The majestic Godavari River, which straps the city as a glistening festoon adds the serene and tranquil ambiance of this historic town. This holy river houses most of the sacred shrines of the town in and around its banks. Apart from its sacredness this riverbanks are a perfect place for enjoying a pleasant walk.

A scenic place whose beauty fascinates the tourists and the locals alike, a trip to Bhadrachalam makes a wonderful experience for everyone. The most exciting part of the picnic would be the alluring voyage through the magnificent Godavari in a motorboat. The eight-hour journey through the crystalline waters, which replicates the surrounding greenery coupled with the natural warmth of the frisky wind, makes the boating in this holy river enchanting and refreshing. The itinerant sands of the river make the boating more lively. An overnight stay on the banks of the river in tents is really thrilling and is an added attraction of the boating. 

Bhadrachalam, located in the banks of the Godavari River, prides itself of the history that goes back to the

ancient and mythological ages. The holy town of Bhadrachalam has been closely associated with the holy epic – Ramayana. Legend has it that this was the place form where Ravana had kidnapped Sita.

The history of this city is associated solely by the events of the Ramayan. It is said that this was the place where Bhadrachalam stands is the place where Ram crossed the Godavari River during his quest to save Sita.

The main attraction is the temple of Sri Ram  built by Kancharla Gopanna popularly known as Bhakta Ramadas in 1630 AD. Ramdas was then tax revenue collector (also called as Tahsildar). He collected money from people to build this temple and when the collections were not sufficient, used tax collections and consequently was jailed for 12 years by the king Tani Shah of Golconda (now Hyderabad). Moved by the plight of his devotee Sri

Ram and his brother Laxmana repaid the money owed to the king and got Ramadas released.

Two festivals are most important 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

 

Bhadrachalam is connected by road and rail network. The nearest railway station is Bhadrachalam Road (station code: BDCR), 40 km from the town. Locally, Bhadrachalam Road Railway Station is more commonly referred to as Kothagudem Railway Station. It takes approximately 50 minutes to travel from Kothagudem Railway Station to Bhadrachalam by bus and the fare is about Rs 20. Bhadrachalam is: 120 km from district head quarters, Khmamma 325 km from the state head quarters, Hyderabad where the nearest airport is (Shamshabad) By road from Hyderabad follow this route: Hyderabad-Suryapet-Khammam-Kohtagudem - Palvancha (This Is Beautiful Town In Khammam District, Kothagudem Thermal Power Station-KTPS Located in Palvancha Town.) - Bhadrachalam. Buses ply from Vijayawada and other major towns in Andhra Pradesh.

Nearest Pilgrim places.

Parnasala is a popular (nearby) place frequently visited by tourists and is 35 km from Bhadrachalam. This is said to be the place where Ravan abducted Sita. A small hut with gaudily painted sculptures of Sri Ram, Sita, Laxman and Ravan depicting key events from Ramayan is what Parnasala is about. This place has great historical importance but weathered sculptures, attempt to replicate the sculptures with fiber glass, lack of maintenance make it a little less satisfied experience. However, passing through tiny tribal hamlets and expansive fields of paddy by a spooky tree lined road plus the serene Godavari River are the saving grace. Its would be a worth while to visit this place if you plan to spend at least 2 or 3 days in Badrachalam. Avoid recommendations from local guides about this place and make your own call.

Papikondalu Hills - a steam boat ride on River Godavari enjoying views of the River and setting sun. Available as a package of one day including 5 to 7 hours of boat ride. Diesel-powered boats start from Sriramagiri, about 60 km from Bhadrachalam. They offer breakfast, tea, lunch and evening snacks on the boat itself, except lunch where they make special arrangements on the way to papikondalu on the shores of Godavari. The taste & hygiene of the food is good. On the way you can also see the perantallapally, a temple of lord shiva ,where you can find a small water fall coming from the thick forests. A sage used to meditate in this forest. You should maintain utmost silence in the temple. You should not offer any thing (like donations etc). The environment is peaceful. If you have the time, you can do meditation here. On the way you can also visit Sriramagiri temple (58 km. from Bhadrachalam). It is always better to take water, fruit and food with you on the steam boat ride. You have to be cautious before planning trip to Papikondalu during summer as the water levels in River Godavari may cancel the boat trips.