KADAPA: Devotees have urged the Centre and the State government to set up a direct rail link between Vontimitta and Ayodhya. They are of the view that the direct rail link between the two famous pilgrim places will boost spiritual tourism and cultural exchange.
Sri Kodandarama Swamy temple in Vontimitta has historical and architectural significance. Located 27 km from Kadapa on the Kadapa-Rajampet route, the Ontimitta temple gained prominence after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
As the famous Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam falls under the jurisdiction of Telangana, the AP government had declared the Vontimitta Kodandarama Swamy temple’s annual Sri Rama Navami celebrations as the State festival.
To ensure its growth, the temple was brought under the purview of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on September 9, 2015. Since then, the TTD has spent nearly Rs 100 crore on the temple development and creation of pilgrim facilities. Pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and other States visit the ancient temple, which houses the unique single-stone idol of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana.
The temple’s architectural brilliance and historical significance, coupled with ongoing development activities, have increased its popularity.
The proposed rail link will be beneficial to Tallapaka, Brahmamgari Matham, Pushpagiri, Gandikota and Devuni Kadapa in the neighbourhood of Vontimitta as the pilgrim places get more tourists, which helps strengthen the local economy.
Its towering Gopuram, built in the Vijayanagara style, and intricately designed 32-pillared Mandapam reflect its architectural brilliance. French traveller Tavernier, who visited the temple in the 17th century, hailed its grandeur and described its Gopuram as one of India’s tallest structures.