Ramadasu
Sri Rama of Bhadrachalam is known as “Vaikunta Rama” because he has Conchi(Sankha) and discus (Chakra) the emblems of Vishnu.
The existence of deities, according to local tradition was first revealed in the dream to one Pokala Dammakka. She was the first to come, identify and offer worship to the idols. She was asked to continue worshipping the lord until a day when one bhakta (Ramadas) would arrive and take up the responsibility of the temple. Ramadasu realized that he had been appointed and sent to the place only to serve the lord and he immediately decided to dedicate the rest of his life for the same.
Ramadasu is said to have composed nearly 200 Keerthanas on bhadrachala ramadas, most of which are available to us through Bhajana sampradaya. Some of the keerthanas are available to us in the traditional tunes while some were composed recently by eminent artists like Sangeetha Kalanidhi Nedunuri Krishna Murthy, Padmabhushan Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna, Malladi Suri Babu among many others.
Ramadasu has also composed “Dasaradhi Satakam”, a string of 103 padyams, dandakam and churnika.