INTRODUCTION:
Gopanna (1620 – 1680), popularly known as Bhakta Ramadas or Bhadrachala Ramadas, was a devotee of Lord Rama and a composer of Carnatic music. He lived in the village of Nelakondapalli near Bhadrachalam, Telangana and is renowned for constructing a famous temple for Lord Sri Rama at Bhadrachalam. His devotional poems on Rama are famous in South Indian classical music as Ramadaasu Keertanalu. He wrote a collection of nearly 108 poems dedicated to Lord Rama.
LIFE
Bhaktha Ramadas was born in a Telugu Brahmin family in a village of Khammam dist of northern Telangana.
Ramadas was appointed as the tahsildar and the administrative head in the court of Sultan Abul Shah. Once he visited Bhadrachalam, and he was disturbed by seeing the dilapidated state of the temple there. Ramadas finished the reconstruction of the temple by utilizing the amount collected from land revenues, without seeking the permission of the Sultan Abul Shah.
He was dismissed from his job and he was put into jail towards utilizing the government funds for temple reconstruction.
After twelve years of imprisonment, Lord Rama and Lakshmana, gave to the Sultan six lakh gold coins, as compensation for the money spent by Ramadas. Then Ramadas was immediately released from the prison.
Ramadas continued his devotion towards Lord Sri Rama, and one day a chariot was appeared before his home to take him to Vaikunta and he went to the divine abode of Lord Vishnu.
SONGS
Some of his songs are as follows:
1.Ramachandraya Janaka Rajaaja Manohara in Kurinji
2.Tarakamantramu in Dhanyasi
3.Ye Teeruga Nanu in Nadanamakriya
4.Adigo Bhadradri in Varali
5.Anta Ramamayam in Darbari Kannada
6.Charanamulae Nammidhi in Kapi
7.Rama Ra Ra in Kamas
8.Dasharatha Rama Govindha in Kamas
9.O Rama ni namamu in Poorvi Kalyani
10.Paluke bangara mayena in Ananda Bhairavi
CONCLUSION
Bhadrachala Ramadasar, who was a great poet, musician and a great devotee of Lord Rama, has dedicated his entire life to the devotion of Lord Rama. Even after several sufferings in his life, he did not forget in worshipping Lord Rama. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Rama, and through his bhakti he has entered the eternal bliss, and stayed in Vaikunta. Let us worship this great saint with pure devotion, and chant his name along with the name of Lord Rama, and be blessed and live peacefully and happily for ever.
“OM SREE BHAKTA RAMADASARE NAMAHA”
“JAI SREE RAM”
R.HARISHANKAR
