The pilgrims visited temples located near the ghats following completion of the holy dip
Large number of devotees visit pushkar ghat at Bhadrachalam on Friday. (Photo: DC)
Dharmapuri, (Karimnagar): The turnout of devotees swelled at all pushkar ghats in various parts of the district on Friday, the fourth day of the Godavari Maha Pushkaralu. River banks of Godavari at temple town Dharmapuri was a sea of humanity following heavy participation of devotees from various parts of state in taking the holy dip in the river. Other venues such as Kaleshwaram, Manthani and Koti Lingala have registered substantial increase in the rush of pilgrims. According to district authorities, around 12 lakh devotees had the holy dip. Several thousands of pilgrims along with their family members, belonging to different parts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattishgarh, Maharashtra and Karnakataka states began arriving pushkar ghats from around 3 am. They continued taking the holy dip till 2 pm, braving the heat.
The pilgrims visited temples located near the ghats following completion of the holy dip. They hired private vehicles for reaching the venues. Among 22 venues of Pushkaralu, Dharmapuri which houses ancient Sri Laxmi Narasimha Swami shrine recorded influx of over five lakh devotees, while about two lakh pilgrims had the holy bath on the banks of confluence of Godavari, Pranahita and Saraswati near Kaleshwaram. At the same time, ghats erected in Manthani and Koti Lingala, Sundilla, Godavarikhani Manc-herial bridge and several other venues of the district registered increased turnout than the previous three days of the mega event.
The rise in numbers resulted in traffic snarls at major venues namely Dharmapuri and Kalehswaram. Vehicles of the devotees were forced to wait on roads to reach bathing ghats. Police personnel had to sweat it out to regulate the traffic.
District authorities allowed auto-rickshaws and seven-seater vehicles for transporting devotees from parking lots to the pushkar ghats at Rs 10 per passenger.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
Next Story
