Idols consecrated atop 400-year-old Ram temple
Endowment minister Satyanarayana said the government proved its commitment by completing the temple works
Visakhapatnam: Amid the recital of vedic hymns, idols of Rama, Seetha and Lakshman were consecrated at Kodanda Rama temple atop Bodikonda hills in Ramateertham in Nelimerla mandal of Vizianagaram district, about 70 km from Visakhapatnam on Monday.
The temple drew national attention when the idol of Lord Rama was decapitated on 30 December 2020. The State government was quick in announcing Rs 3 crore for construction of the idols, basic infrastructure at the temple and the road to the hilltop.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana, Minister for Education Botsa Satyanarayana, ZP chairperson Majji Srinivasa Rao, MLCs and local MLAs were present. The head priests of TTD and Dwaraka Tirumala and the main priest of the Ramateertha Temple K. Sairamachartyulu performed the special pujas and yagam.
Speaking to the media on the occasion the endowment minister Satyanarayana said the government proved its commitment by completing the temple works and installation and the consecration of the idols before the scheduled time.
“Some vested interests vandalized Hindu temples in several parts of the state two years ago and they tried to slur the image of the YSRC government,’’ the minister said. Regarding destruction of idols at Ramateertham, the minister said the investigation into the incident was going on and very soon the culprits would be arrested.
Minister for Education Botsa Satyanarayana said he had proposed to the chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to conduct Ramanavami festival as the state festival from next year onwards.
“The celebration of Navami at Ramateertham is similar to the traditional events being held at Bhadrachalam,’’ Botsa said.
The ministers later felicitated the engineers who completed the temple work in record time.