This place is holy Bhadragiri or Bhadrachalam or Bhadradri, the name derived after the mountain Bhadra, the boon child for Meru and Menaka (Merudevi). Meru who was childless performed penance for a long time and he was blessed with twins named Bhadra and Neela who became great devotees of Lord Vishnu. Meru instructed his sons to perform penance, one on the bank of the river Godavari and the other at Puri, to be blessed by the Lord Sri Rama and Sri Krishna respectively. Rama and Lakshmana, were searching for Seetha came to Bhadragiri. The mountain king who was performing penance, Bhadra requested Lord Rama with Seetha and Lakshmana to be seated on his head, so that the teeming millions may attain salvation through an easy and simple process of archana and Darshana.As Rama was in search of Seetha and in that process, he wanted to punish the wicked and establish Dharma, he promised to fulfil Bhadra's selfless wish after finding his consort. He could not fulfil his promise to Bhadra before leaving for Vaikunta. Bhadra continued the penance which made Brahma and others agitated. So, Lord Vishnu came from Vaikunta. Once more in the form of Rama, with Seetha and lakshmana, to fulfil the cherished wish of Bhadra. Having been immensely pleased with the great devotion and faith of Bhadra's, Lord Rama said "My son i am much pleased with your tapas.This place from now on will be named after you, People will ever remember you first and then think of me and they will all be realised of their sins, and they will be blessed with salvation. There are various ways to attain salvation, but in Kaliyuga, easiest is to worship me at this Bhadradri". Bhadra embraced Rama instantaneously transformed himself into an anthill, preserving the details inside.