An
exciting historical evidence begins with the appointment of Kancherla Gopanna,
an ordinary God-minded man as Tahsildar of the Revenue Taluq of Bhadrachalam,
under the soveregnity of Tanisha of Golkonda, a staunch Muslim. yet a renowned
ruler famous for religious tolerance: who ultimately became instrumental in
throwing a halo round the archamurthi of the sacred shrine
To
begin with, Gopanna was a devout brahmin in whom there impulses were predominant
right from the birth. He hailed from a village Nelakondapalli of Khammam
district. He was poor- unable to see both ends meet, tried however much by right
means. Strangely enough, he had fortune in the persons of two maternal uncles-Akkanna
and Madanna, who were in the service of Abdul Hassan Tanisha, the Nawab of Nizam
then, as ministers. It so coincided that the Tahsildar of Bhadrachalam Taluq
died then. To filling in the vacant post, Gopanna was preferred. Akkannna and
Madanna were pleased when their recommendation met with success, More was the
pleasure to the Gopanna's family sinking in stark poverty, and most was to the
cause of theism. Gopanna ably and satisfactorily discharged his official duties
and became a popular officer. His devotion too was slowly coming into the flood
light of public gaze. Just at this juncture a miracle happened. Pokala Dhammakka,
a local devotee of considerable fame, found to her good fortune the image of Sri
Rama. For installation and regular worship, funds and patronage were found
indispensable.
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