Sriramanavami has been celebrated on a large scale since at least three and a half centuries right from the time the Bhadrachalam temple was built by Ramadasu in the mid-17th century. Every devout Hindu longs to be present during the Sriramanavami festival in the Kalyana Mandapam of the temple.
The current Kalyana Mandapam was built at an estimated cost of Rs 1 lakh during 1960-61. Since this Sriramanavami is the diamond jubilee year, we need to remember the history carved on the pillars, base and patropapeeteham of the Kalyana Mandapam.
The chief Sthapathi, Ganapati, carefully depicted the legend, importance and history of the temple in designing the statues of the mandapam. The images of the mandapam can be better understood in the three categories – mandapam / adishishaanam, patropapeetham and pillars / sthambhas.
A statue of a parrot is depicted carrying the adhisthaana / base of the Kalyana Mandapam. The base is decorated with various images of Gajavanka, etc. Animal series. The patropapeetham is decorated with dance images of the area – Kolatam – and a classical dance – Bharatanatyam. To this day, the women of the Koya tribal community of Bhadrachalam perform the Kolatam during festive occasions.
The sculptures depicting the history and importance of the temple are depicted on the faces of the pillars of the Kalyana Mandapam. A Muskha Sthambham of the Mandapam contains images of the Ramadasu – Kamaladevi, the couple who built the temple.
The south-eastern pillar of the Mandapam has a sculpture of the couple as they watch Seetharama Kalyanam in excitement. In another sculpture, Ramadasu is depicted walking with Sudarshana Chakram to the river Godavari. Another sculpture depicts Lord Gopala and Gomaatha with flute. He was shown in another image on the northeast pillar.
The anterior space of the northeast pillar displays Chaturbhuja Rama as the fall of talambraalu on Seetha’s head. The south side of the pillar displays an image of the pair of Ramadasu-Kamaladevi as witnesses of the Seetharama Kalyanam. The north side of the pillar is formed with the figures of Parnashaala where Rama-Seetha and Laxmana lived during their exile. On the same side of the pillar are the photographs of Chaturbhuja Gopala, Vaalmeeki and Sudarshana Chakram.
Sri Chandrashekhara Saraswati, Kanchi Kamakothi Peethaadhipati visited the Kalyana Mandapam and his sculptor Ganapati Sthapati explained to him about the sculpture told above. Sri Chandrashekhara Saraswati asked him about other figures besides the sculptures of Brahma and Saraswati and Ganapati Sthapati replied that it was from Savitri. Then he sat on the Prapulla Padmasanam / Kalyana Peetham and while decorating Ganapati Sthapati with his bell wreath (maaredu maala), he appreciated the Sthapati because they better sculpt the Rama temple and Mandapas than the sculptural styles of the legendary Chera, Chola, Pandya and Nayaka kings. Thereafter, the Sthapati built many famous temples in India and abroad. Such a beautiful and important Kalyana Mandapam is going to be the slide today.
Dr Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana
Telangana Historikus
Source: Telangana Today