NANDIGAMA (KRISHNA): The small Ram temple here, located by on NH No,9, is being decked out for governor ESL Narshmihan's visit on April 12 on the auspicious Srirama Navami.
The governor's decision to attend the ceremony has an interesting story behind it. One of the temple trustees, Mangammal, a resident of Chennai, is a cousin of Narasimhan's. The governor has decided to attend the festivities at her invitation.
Temple priest Divi Parthasarathi Acharyulu told Express that the temple was constructed by Sriman Chakravarthula Srinivasa Raghavacharyulu, who had worked as a thasildar of Nandigama during the British rule in the 1890s. During his tenure, he found the idols of Ram and Sita, and brought them to Nandigama with the permission of the village elders of Penuganchiprolu. He built a temple at Nandigama in 1892 and appointed his (Divi Parthasarathi Acharyulu's) forefathers as priests of the temple. He was the fifth-generation priest serving at the temple now, Parthasarathi Acharyulu said.
During Raghavacharyulu's stint as the tahasildar he has given 30 acres of irrigated land and a 100-acre hill at Ramireddypally, near Nandigama, as assets on which the temple has depended to meet all its expenses.
After his retirement, Raghavacharyulu went to Chennai and settled down there but his family members have continued to serve as trustees of the temple.
"Mangammal, one of present trustees, is the sister of the governor, which is the reason for his decision to visit to the temple. Mangammal's mother and Narasimhan's mother's are sisters,'' the priest revealed.
This year's Sita-Rama Kalyanam, 119th since the temple was built, will be performed by the hereditary priests.
Officials are making all preparations for the governor's visit and new roads are being laid up to the temple. The governor will also visit another historical temple, Chennakesava Swamy temple, in the same town which will have the Vimana Gopuram rebuilt. The priest said they urged Mangammal to request Narasimhan also to visit the Chennakesava Swamy temple which has nearly 700-year history. It was constructed during the rule of Kakatiya kings, probably during the reign of Pratapa Rudra.