Rajahmundry: Despite incessant rain which leads to several troubles and inconvenience, a large number of pilgrims took a holy dip and performed rituals in river Godavari on the fifth day of Godavari Antya Pushkaralu in Godavari districts on Thursday.
In Rajahmundry, devotees are thronging the ghats from early in the morning.
The authorities are maintaining sanitation at all important ghats where a large number of pilgrims are taking a holy dip. The sanitation staff are clearing the garbage at the ghats and also in the river regularly.
More number of pilgrims were seen at Pushkar ghat, Kotilingala ghat and Saraswati ghat. For the benefit of the elderly and children, the authorities have arranged a shower, which sprinkles Godavari water from a structure resembling the shape of a Sivalingam at Pushkar ghat, just as they did for the Maha Pushkaralu.
Temporary dressing rooms are also being maintained at the ghats and temporary toilets have been arranged, a few meters away from the ghats to avoid inconvenience to the devotees. Police are keeping a close vigil at the ghats to avoid untoward incidents.
Meanwhile, the fire service personnel are clearing the water at the bathing ghats to prevent ground from becoming marshy and avoiding health related problems to the devotees at Pushkar and Kotilingala ghats. Armed with lifebu-oys, life jackets and speed boats, the fire personnel are keeping close vigil at the ghats to ensure safety of the devotees.
East Godavari district fire officer T. Uday Kumar said that as many as 52 personnel are working in two shifts at the ghats to ensure safety to the devotees who enter into the river water. In parts of East Godavari and West Godavari too, the devotees are visiting the ghats in good number at Kovvur and Naraspuram and performing rituals.
