Devotees visiting the historic Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Bhadrachalam can now buy eco-friendly Agarbattis (incense sticks) made from flowers collected from the temples as the prison department has opened an Agarbatti herb shop at the famous temple, popularly known as ‘Bhadradri’.
Charcoal-free incense sticks made by inmates of Bhadrachalam Special Prison were made available for sale in the shop.
A herbal Agarbatti manufacturing unit was set up in the prison in November last year and the unit has so far produced around 2,400 packets of eco-friendly Agarbattis under the ‘Valmiki’ brand.
They form the core of the jail department’s skill development initiatives to help inmates earn wages to support their families in jail and become financially self-sufficient after release, says J. Upender, Superintendent, Special Sub-jail Facility, Bhadrachalam.
In addition, it offers devotees an eco-friendly alternative to purchasing charcoal-free, natural-scented incense sticks that contribute to inmate welfare and nature conservation.
Published – 02 Feb 2026 20:19 IST