Rajahmundry: A good number of devotees turned up to take a holy dip and perform rituals in river Godavari on Friday, considered to be an auspicious day. On the sixth day of Godavari Antya Pushkaralu, devotees were seen arriving in a moderate number to the important ghats in Rajahmundry. It is estimated that around 40,000 pilgrims took a holy dip in 15 ghats in East Godavari. The Akhanda Harathi, being performed daily, has been a major attraction drawing many pilgrims to the ghats in the night. The civic authorities have also been screening old films at the Kotilingala ghat.
In Narasapuram, the authorities have estimated that the number of pilgrims who took holy dip was 7,764. Local MLA Bandaru Madhava Naidu and others visited the ghats and enquired the pilgrims about the amenities being provided to the devotees. At Kovvur, a good number of devotees were seen taking dip at Goshpada Kshetram. However, the local authorities did not carry out headcount of the devotees there.
On the other hand, the water resources authorities are ensuring adequate water-level at the bathing ghats by regulating release of water from Sir Arthur Cotton barrage into the sea. At Kotilingala ghat, water-level is being maintained at about 3 feet while at the Pushkar ghat, it is 4 feet and at Saraswati ghat, it is six feet, as it is relatively close to the barrage. Following the rainfall in the catchment area in Rajahmundry and release of water from various irrigation projects in Telangana, inflow of water into the river has been rising in the last few days.
The authorities are discharging nearly 5.30 lakh cusecs of water from the barrage into the sea by lifting crest gates at Madduru and Rally. As water-level at Bhadrachalam has come down to 29 feet on Friday from 33 feet recorded on Thursday, the authorities predict that inflow into the river might go down by Saturday afternoon.
Godavari river conservator N. Krishna Rao said, "We are expecting water-level at the barrage to recede as inflows into the river is coming down following no rainfall in the local catchment area of the river in the last several hours.” We are ensuing adequate water level at ghats upstream barrage for the benefit of devotees."
