Here are the reasons behind delay in conduct of rituals in Bhadrachalam Seeta Ramachandra Swamy temple!

What caused the priests to sit on an unprecedented protest was the transfer of deputy chief priest, whose presence was mandatory in the Ankurarpana rituals at the temple

Kothagudem: There was a delay of over three hours in conduct of Ankurarpana of Sri Rama Navami rituals in the famous Seeta Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam on Thursday. The rituals which were to start by 6 p.m. began only after 9 p.m. as the temple priests went on sit-on to protest over the transfer of deputy chief priest of the temple.

What caused the priests to sit on an unprecedented protest was the transfer of deputy chief priest, whose presence was mandatory in the Ankurarpana rituals at the temple. The abrupt shifting of the deputy chief priest Srinivasa Ramanujam to Parnasala temple three days ago by the temple EO L Rama Devi, has become a bone of contention.

---

In a video message released to the media on Friday, the temple Sthanacharyulu, Sthala Sai has admitted that the delay has disappointed many devotees and that many devotees had called him to express concern over the unprecedented delay in conduct of rituals.

As per the tradition for all the religious rituals two priests are selected to act as ‘Acharyulu’ and as ‘Brahma’ for the whole year. But with the transfer of Srinivasa Ramanujam, who has been chosen as ‘Brahma’ the tradition could not be followed hence the EO was asked to cancel his transfer.

As the EO lacked religious knowledge, the discussions over the issue, lasted until late evening hours of Thursday. Finally the EO agreed to bring Srinivasa Ramanujam back to Bhadradri Temple following which Ankurarpana was performed as per the tradition, Sthala Sai disclosed.

It might be recalled that the EO faced the ire of the Vaidika committee for allegedly breaking a tradition of informing and taking chief priests and Sthanacharyulu with her when she went to Hyderabad in December 2024 for inviting Endowment Minister for Mukkoti celebrations in this January.

The EO Rama Devi was caught in a controversy as she signed an agreement last year with a private Rythu Dairy of Jangareddygudem in Andhra Pradesh for supplying ghee for making prasadam ignoring government orders to procure ghee from government owned Vijaya Dairy.

In addition to the above, finding empty liquor bottles at Chitrakuta mandapam by sanitary workers shocked the devotees. But no action was taken to find and punish those who damaged the sanctity of the temple.

A contract staff at laddu prasadam counter was caught selling laddus outside the temple illegally. A few days ago the temple security staff caught a priests’ daughter with a bag carrying gifts donated to the temple by devotees leading to the transfer of the priest.

Speaking to Telangana Today Bhadrachalam Prantha Parirakshana Samithi founder Busireddy Shankar Reddy stated that the recent developments at the temple are upsetting the devotees. He alleged that some priests have been politicising the temple issues and it is not correct. Both the EO and the priests have to act as per the traditions and uphold the sanctity of Bhadradri temple, he suggested.