Devotees visiting the historic Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam can now buy eco-friendly Agarbattis (incense sticks) made from flowers, collected from temples, as the Prisons Department opened an herbal Agarbatti outlet at the famous temple, popularly known as ‘Bhadradri.’
The charcoal-free incense sticks made by the inmates of the Bhadrachalam Special Sub-Jail have been made available for sale at the outlet.
An herbal Agarbatti manufacturing unit was set up at the jail in November last year and the unit has so far produced around 2,400 packets of eco-friendly Agarbattis under the brand name ‘Valmiki.’
It forms the crux of the skill-development initiatives of the Prisons Department to help inmates earn wages to support their families while in jail and become financially self-reliant after their release, says J. Upender, Superintendent, Special Sub-Jail, Bhadrachalam.
Additionally, it offers devotees an eco-friendly alternative to buy charcoal-free incense sticks with natural fragrance to contribute to the welfare of jail inmates and conservation of nature.
Published – February 02, 2026 08:19 pm IST
