The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Arrangements in full swing for Krishna Pushkarams

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Arrangements in full swing for Krishna Pushkarams

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, AUG. 8. The countdown for Krishna pushkarams which falls once in 12 years has begun. With the event just 20 days away, arrangements are in full swing to meet the pilgrim rush all along the river banks from August 28 to September 9.

The celebration of the pushkarams is confined to only 12 rivers in the country and both Krishna and Godavari enjoy this status. After the success of last year's Godavari pushkarams, the State Government has geared itself for the celebrations in Krishna river.

The pushkarams occur according the transit of the planet Brihaspati into various rasis. Pushkarams to river Krishna occur during a period of 12 days after the planet Brihaspati enters Kanya rasi.

During the period, the twelve Mahanadi teerthas and the benevolent Pushkarudu are believed to be present in the holy waters of the river Krishna.

Rituals

The puranas enjoin that the people should bathe, offer charity and perform oblations to the gods in memory of their ancestors during pushkaram days. The practice goes by the name pinda pradhanam.

The Congress Government has taken the conduct of the Krishna pushkarams as a matter of prestige. It did not want to be found lagging in arrangements as compared to the previous TDP Government which cornered glory during the Godavari pushkarams.

Increase in expenditure

The point was vividly made clear by the Endowments Minister, M. Satayanarayana Rao, and the Transport Minister, S. Santosh Reddy, at a news conference here on Sunday. They sought to dispel apprehensions that the Government may not live up to the expectations of people in making the arrangements.

Mr. Rao said the Government would spend Rs. 210 crores, which was 10 per cent more than the expenditure for Godavari pushkarams, while ensuring foolproof arrangements throughout the course of the river in five districts.

More pilgrims expected

As against 1.25 crore pilgrims who took the dip in the river on the last occasion in 1992, the Government expects a turnout of three crore people now.

It was expected that nearly half of the crowd would assemble at Vijayawada where the river is wide.

As many as 191 bathing ghats were being constructed on the banks but some of them have submerged in the river as the flood discharge was more than expected.

The river is in full flow throughout its course.

The Government has taken up renovation of 202 temples on the banks and 2,292 special buses will be operated apart from special trains.

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