Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are fully geared up for an unprecedented rush of pilgrims on the banks of Godavari for the “Maha Pushkaram”, a religious event that occurs once in every 144 years. The devotees mark this day by taking a holy dip in the river.
As the Jupiter enters the zodiac sign of leo, marking a significant astronomical event, the Pushkaram will formally begin on Tuesday all along the Godavari river banks in both the neighbouring Telugu States.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met State Governor ESl Narasimhan this morning and formally invited him for the inauguration of Pushkaram at Rajahmundrym an ancient city on the banks of river in East Godavari district.
The festival in Telangana will be inaugurated by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Temples town of Basara and Kaleshwaram will be the focal points in Telangana and the pilgrims have already started gathering there.
While Rajahmundry will see the massive congregation of the pilgrims who have already started gathering in the city, hundreds of thousands of devotees from Telangana and other neighboring areas will converge at the banks of the river in the district of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagr, Warangaland Khammam.
The Telangana Government has organised 2,300 special buses for the occasions. For the affluent sections for the first time there will be special flights to Rajahmundry from Hyderabad and other places. In addition to the existing airlines, a new airline TruJet, promoted by film star Ram Charan Teja also started its maiden flight to Rajahmundry on Sunday connecting the historic and cultural city to Hyderabad, Chennai and Tirupati.
In contrast to Rajahmundry where the river bed was brimming with water following the recent heavy rains, Godavari was largely dry in the upstream areas of Telangana forcing the authorities to arrange sprinklers for the visitors to take bath under the piped showers.