Usually Godavari ‘Pushkaralu’ were held at the ancient and historic temple shrines of Dharmapuri, Kaleshwaram,Manthani.
Koti Lingala and Manthani in Karimnagar district, but, this time, the
district administration had decided to conduct pushkaralu all along the
shores of Godavari in Karimnagar district for the benefit of devotees.
The Godavari Pushkaralu would be held from July 14 to 27 this year.
Expecting a surge of pilgrims at the temple shrines in the district, the
administration decided to conduct Pushkaralu in six other places along
the shores of river Godavari in Mallapur, Dharmapuri, Ibrahimpatnam and
Ramagundam mandals. The authorities have decided to conduct Godavari
pushkaralu at the Erdandi in Ibrahimpatnam mandal, Valigonda and VV Rao
Peta village of Mallapur mandal, Thimmapur and Rayapatnam villages of
Dharmapuri mandals.
Accordingly, the authorities have prepared plans for the construction of
bathing ghats and provision of other facilities such as laying of roads
on the river shores etc. Following demand from the Godavarikhani coal
belt region, the authorities were also examining the construction of
bathing ghats on the shores of river Godavari at Ramagundam mandal for
the benefit of coal miners in the region.
The authorities have also prepared an action plan for the Pushkaralu arrangements at a cost of Rs 77.77 crore.
Officials said that the decision to construct the bathing ghats all
along the shores of river Godavari was taken to ease the congestion at
the temple shrines.
“During Pushkaralu, the pilgrims take holy dip in the river and perform
the ‘shradha’ rituals and other offerings and leave the place. Instead
of allowing all pilgrims at one particular place temple shrine, we are
planning to ease the congestion at the temple shrine by allowing the
pilgrims to take holy dip in the river at various places in the
district,” they added.
