Places associated with the epic included in the Centre’s tourism plan Bhadrachalam put on Ramayana circuit

The famous Sitaramachandra Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam and the nearby Parnashala have been included in the Central government’s Ramayana circuit.

The Centre has sanctioned `50 crore for the developing the region as a major pilgrim centre.

The Union tourism ministry launched the Swadesh Darshan scheme to develop theme-based tourist circuits on the basis of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner.

The Ramayana circuit is proposed to cover 11 destinations in six states including Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringhverpur and Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitarmarhi, Buxar and Darbhanga (Bihar), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Nagpur and Nashik (Maharashtra), Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka), and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu).

“We got a letter from the Union tourism ministry to inform us about the inclusion of Bhadrachalam in the Ramayana circuit. I had represented the matter to tourism and culture minister Mahesh Sharma based on a suggestion by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao,” Mr Ramulu, the chairman of TS Tourism Development Corporation, said.

Mr Ramulu said the Parnashala village, located 32 km from Bhadrachalam, was believed to have been the place where Lord Rama spent long years in exile along with Sita and brother Lakshmana.

Sita, it is believed, used to take a bath in the stream and dry her clothes near what is today called Seethamma Vagu, which flows near Radhagutta. The legend has it that Rama killed the demon Marecha, who came disguised as a golden deer to deceive Sita here.

Ravana abducted Sita from Paranashala to Lanka in a Pushpaka Vahanam.

“I explained to the Union minister about the importance of Bhadrachalam where Lord Rama, according to the Valmiki Ramayana, came via Bastar, Sabari and moved to Kishkinda that is now in Ballari in Karnataka. The government will recreate the major mythological sequence at the place along the lines of Akshardham,” Mr Ramulu added.

Referring to his recent visit to Sri Lanka, he said that the people there believe that the Ramayana is true, that Ravana hailed from their country, had abducted Sita and the place was destroyed by Lord Rama.