Revisiting Bhadrachalam, a town on the banks of river Godavari, home to celebrated composer Ramadas

n Carnatic music, Tyagaraja the great devotee of Rama enjoys exalted status. But in Tyagaraja’s view, it was Bhadrachalam Ramadas who was much superior. There are at least three direct references to the latter in Tyagaraja’s compositions and in addition, there are numerous songs that have entire phrases and themes that seem to have been inspired by Ramadas. Like several other preTrinity composers, Ramadas’ music is lost almost in entirety, and only some lyrics are available. But what remains gives us a glimpse of his virtuosity. And there is Bhadrachalam itself, by the Godavari, with its temple to Rama standing testimony to the devotion of Ramadas.

The composer’s life and lyrics were the subject of detailed study by the late M.S. Rajajee, an IAS officer, who retired as Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh. He, along with DVN Gopalakrishna, Head, Department of Telugu, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Hyderabad, brought out a critical edition titled Spiritual Heritage of Bhakta Ramadas (1999, Department of Endowments, Government of Hyderabad). This publication is of great use for those who do not know Telugu.

That a temple for Rama existed at Bhadrachalam before Ramadas is not disputed. In fact, in his song ‘Barayya manage rangayya’, Purandaradasa sings of Parama Pavitra Rama Bhadrachaladhisa. And so it must have been a place of pilgrimage even in the 15th and 16th centuries. But a hundred years later, the temple was gone, and the idols buried in the sands. This was when Pokala Damakka, a devotee is said to have unearthed them, following a dream. She approached Kancherla Gopanna, the then tehsildar of Palawancha for help in building a temple. He promised to do so, and that marked his transformation into Bhadrachala Ramadas.

Born in the early 17th century to Linganna Mantri and Kamamba, Gopanna belonged to the aristocratic Kancherla family, whose members held prominent positions in the court of the

Sultans of Golconda. A kinsman, Podala Lingappa features prominently in East India

Company records as the Naik of Poonamallee. But more important were his cousins/brothersinlaw –

IAkkanna and Madanna — who were ministers and confidantes of the last Sultan of Golconda, Abul Hasan Tana Shah, who ruled from 1672 to 1686. Thanks to these two brothers, Gopanna became the tehsildar of Palawancha.

Gopanna began constructing the temple with his personal funds. However, when he ran out of money, he began diverting the state revenues to the project. Abul Hasan was a liberal ruler but even he could not countenance misappropriation. So Gopanna was arrested. He remained in the prison at Golconda for 12 long years. During this time, he sang his heart out to Rama. Legend has it that at the end of the ordeal, Rama and Lakshmana themselves settled the debts and Gopanna was a free man. As Ramadas he spent his remaining years in Bhadrachalam.

His life acquired a lot of colour at the hands of Harikatha performers, who took stories from the lives of Bhakti poets such as Tukaram, the Nayanmars and Purandaradasa and made them part of the legend of