As historic Bhadrachalam temple is now part of Telangana, the Andhra Pradesh government has firmed up its decision to celebrate Sri Rama Navami with official honours at Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple at Vontimitta in Kadapa district on the ‘night’ of March 28.

Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will offer silk clothes and “Mutyala Thalambralu” to the presiding deity and attend the celestial wedding that night.

It was a practice for the AP government to perform Sri Rama Navami celebrations at the historic Bhadrachalam temple, but as the temple is now in Telangana, the TDP government took the decision to celebrate it in Vontimitta temple, located about 26 km from Kadapa, constructed during the Chola and Vijayanagara reigns, which is about 26 km from Kadapa. Disclosing this to mediapersons at the Secretariat here on Friday, AP endowments minister P Manikyala Rao said, “Since the state has been divided, the government has decided to celebrate Sri Rama Navami at Vontimitta Temple. However, we would be sending silk clothes and mutyala thalambralu to the Bhadrachalam temple as well.”

According to the Minister, the Archaeological Survey of India had notified this temple as an ancient monument. Hence, the government had felt that the place would be a perfect location to celebrate Sri Rama Navami in the truncated State.