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THE LEGEND :
Born in 1620 AD at Nalakondalapalli in Andhra Pradesh is Kancharla
Gopanna to the couple of Allana linga Mantri as was described by
himself in his "Dasaradhi Satakam". He is more familiar to us
as Bhakta Ramdas or Bhadrachala Ramdas owing to his staunch devotion towards the Vaikunta
Rama enshrined at Bhadrachalam on the banks of River Godavari.
Gopanna showed an inclination towards
spiritual interests ever since his childhood and later he composed several keertanas in
praise of Lord Rama throughout his life of 68 years. He was said to have received the
Taraka Nama Upadesam in his dream from Bhaktha Kabir Das, another great devotee of Rama,
who preceded him by 200 years.
Later in 17th century, Gopanna
was the Tahsildar in the court of Abdul Hassan Tana Shah.
Being unable to raise funds and he being a strong devotee of Lord Rama, Ramdas used the
tax collections for completing the temple instead of remitting it into the treasury. He
was imprisoned in a dungeon in the Golconda Fort for misusing the government funds.
 But Gopanna’s devotion for his
deity had not faded. His prayers were soon answered when Lord Rama himself appeared before
Tana Shah and made the payment of the amount in the form of Gold coins stamped with the
images of Sri Rama Pattabhishekam and Anjaneya on either side. These Rama Tanaka
coins as they are known, can still be seen at the temple. The king awestruck by
the miracle, released Gopanna from the imprisonment and reinstated him as Tahsildar. Tana
Shah then onwards also announced grants to the temple. Ever since then Gopanna was called
"Bhakta Ramadasa". The eulogies sung by him in praise of Lord
Rama are still in vogue as "Ramadasa Keerthanas". Some existing ornaments of the
deities like "Kalikiturai, Pachchala Patakam, Chintaku patakam, etc.," are known
to be presented by him.
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