Andhra Pradesh: 9th century temple spruced up for Rama Navami festival

Large number of devotees expected to attend the festival after a gap of two years

Having missed the splendour of the Rama Navami Brahmotsavams due to the COVID-19 pandemic for two consecutive years in 2020 and 2021, people of Valmikipuram town are now eagerly awaiting the ‘Sitarama Kalyanotsavam’ scheduled on Monday night.

The annual brahmotsavams of the 9th century Sri Pattabhirama Swamy temple are currently in full swing, with processions being arranged for the temple deities on various 'vahanas' (vehicles) on the temple streets.

Located on the busy Tirupati-Madanapalle highway, the mandal headquarters draws its very existence from the name of sage Valmiki. The temple’s recorded history dates back to a millennium ago.

Rama Navami is a household festival here. Residents of the town are known to not allow their visitors from elsewhere leave without first having a darshan of the deity at the temple. Interestingly, the temple happens to be the only one with idols of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, Shatrughna, and Sita Devi presented as a cluster in the sanctum sanctorum.

The temple, which came under the ambit of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) a few years ago, was witness to the royal visits of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Krishnadevaraya, and several Vijayanagara kings. Inscriptions and temple records also refer to the visits of saint-poet Tallapaka Annamacharya and many British officers. The temple’s glory is also mentioned in one of the sankeerthanas of Annamayya.

Immediately after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the people of Valmikipuram undertook a vibrant campaign to win the ‘State temple’ status for the Sri Pattabhirama Swamy Temple in order to celebrate Rama Navami on the lines of Bhadrachalam, but lost to Vontimitta of Kadapa district.

Local elders said that the ensuing Rama Navami, Kalyanotsavam, and Rathothsavam are major events which are celebrated with gaiety in the town. After a two-year gap in festivities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are now expecting a huge congregation of devotees this year.