Foundation stone laid for development project at Bhadrachalam temples in Telangana
- Recently the President of India has laid the foundation stone of the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities in the Bhadrachalam Group of Temples’ at Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana.
- He also laid the foundation stone of another project titled Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure Development at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple in Mulugu in the state.
- Both these projects have been approved under the ‘PRASHAD’ (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Bhadrachalam Group of Temples
- The ‘Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam Temple’ at Bhadrachalam is said to be over 350 years old and is closely associated with the epic of Ramayana.
- It is believed that Lord Rama along with his wife goddess Sita and brother Lakshmana spent part of his 14 years of exile in a village called Parnasala, a part of Dandakaranya forest near Bhadrachalam temple.
- This group of temples is situated on the left bank of river Godavari.
Rudreshwar Temple
- Rudreshwara Temple, (also known as Ramappa Temple) is in Mulugu, near Warangal in Telangana and is the 39th UNESCO Heritage Site of India.
- The Rudreshwara Temple was built in 1213 AD by Recherla Rudra, the general of the Kakatiya king Ganapati Deva, during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire.
- The main deity here is Ramalingeswara Swamy. It is also known as Ramappa Temple after the name of the sculptor who worked on the temple for 40 years. It is built in the Kakatiya style.
PRASHAD Scheme:
- The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive’ (PRASAD) was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in the year 2014-15 with the objective of holistic development of identified pilgrimage sites.
- Several religious cities/places have been identified for development under the PRASAD scheme such as Amaravati and Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh), Kamakhya (Assam), Parshuram Kund (Lohit district, Arunachal Pradesh), Patna and Gaya (Bihar) etc.
- The Central Government provides 100% funding for project components taken up for public funding.
Source – P.I.B.
