Monday at noon time we left Visakhapatnam for a 3 days’ excursion to Rajahmundry and Bhadrachalam, where we wanted to visit a vibrant Rama-temple at the Godavari river. As a preparation Sri Kumar showed us a movie about the origin of this temple – how an elderly lady had a vision of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana and was guided to search in the jungle for them and found a statue of them. In deep devotion she worshipped them and later a young man, the hero of the movie, Sri Ramadasu, was lead to build there a temple. The film shows the tremendous hardships, obstacles and even torturing he underwent in his mystic search of the vision of Sri Rama.
A young German friend asked me for the title of the movie Sri Ramadasu and then sent me the link to it:
The bus ride took about 4 hs and we arrived at the WTT center Rajahmundry in the evening. It is located in a temple disctrict near the Godavari River. Tuesday morning before 5am we went to the river to have a morning bath – a beautiful experience. Later, after morning meditation and prayer we again took the bus for the next stage of our trip, Bhadrachalam.
The WTT center of Rajahmundry. They welcomed us with great cordiality.
At the center with Reyes from Spain
Dawn at the Godavari River. Washermen beating clothes on the stones
A statue of Rishi Gautama meditating at the river – and a crow feeling inspired there
A stray puppy at the river
Sunrise on the roof of the centre
It was quite a long ride to Bhadrachalam – 6 hs on bumpy roads – but the countryside was thrilling. For about 3 hs we drove through jungle areas. Roaring in the first gear the bus moved very slowly up the narrow hairpin-bends over a pass. In one of the bends there was a broken lorry – very slowly we crossed that point and all applauded our bus-driver when we had passed by.
A little river in the jungle, we hardly met any humans.
Finally we arrived at our hotel in Bhadrachalam. You could hardly see any English writing in the town – only Telugu. I would be lost there… In front of the hotel there were the statues of Rama and Lakshmana with the devotee of Rama who discovered the statues in the wilderness in a termites hill, due to a vision she had (see the video above).
Around sunset we went to the temple which was located on a little hill. We were told not to take our cameras with us – but I could not resist (though in the very inner of the temple I didn’t take photos, respecting the religious feelings).
Evening prayer on the terrace in front of the temple
Meditating inside the temple – a thrilling experience
Sri Kumar and Kumari after the meditation
The entrance of the temple, with the moon in its 11th ascending phase
