Date:03/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/03/stories/2008030368550400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

In the service of Bhadradri Rama

D. Chandra Bhaskar Rao

Ramakrishnamacharyulu, chief priest of Bhadrachalam temple, will be conducting the 50th Sitarama Kalyanam in his tenure on April 14

- Photo: G.N. Rao

Divine duty: Koti Ramakrishnamacharyulu, chief priest of Bhadrachalam temple.

BHADRACHALAM: In the thick of the time-honoured rituals and festivities of the shrine as its helmsman for five decades --- Koti Ramakrishnamacharyulu – senior most of the two chief priests of the Bhadradri temple- will be celebrating his golden jubilee in service of the lord this year. He will be conducting the 50th Sitarama Kalyanam in his tenure as the priest of the shrine on April 14.

The celestial wedding of the presiding deities- Lord Rama and his consort Sita -will mark the culmination of his long association with the temple. It is not a just a personal milestone, but goes down the history of the temple as a rare event laden with significance. He is due for retirement in October next.

Holding to the pious life of the priesthood at the feet of the god – so well so long, he says, owed very much to his grace. He is a direct descendent of one of the five ancestral priest families dedicated to the temple. His ancestors hailed from Srirangam, down south and had migrated here ages ago at the behest of the famous saint poet Ramadasa who was the architect of Bhadradri temple.

He was initiated into priesthood in 1958, a few months before his father, Koti Simhadri Appalacharyulu passed away.

He was one of the priests who performed the Maha Kumbhabisekham in 1968 after renovating the temple and the Srirama Mahasamrajya Pattabhisekham in 1987 – a shastabdhi event (once in 60 years).

Bhadradri is one of the Vaishnavite shrines where the services and systems are guided by the Pancharatragama shastra.

The chief priests therefore hold a high place of honour in all ceremonies. Another chief priest, Podicheti Ramachandracharyulu, who joined the temple services in 1961, will be retiring next year. “The onus of enhancing the importance of the shrine will henceforth rest on those who will be replacing us”, says the chief priests.

Accorded the status of ‘Srirama Mahadivya Kshetram’, Bhadradri’s fame has now spread far and wide. The temple opens at the wee hours of dawn (4.30 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Sundays) with the ‘Prabhadothsavam’. The daily services include ten different rituals (dasavidha utsavam). The lineage beginning with the pradhanarchakas, upa pradhanarchakas, mukhya archakas and archakas conduct the ritualistic services as per assignment.

“Retirement means little to me. I will spend the twilight my life in the service of the lord. I cannot imagine myself away from his abode”, says an emotional Sriramakrishmacharyulu.