The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Serene Srisailam perfect setting for Pushkaram

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Serene Srisailam perfect setting for Pushkaram

By D. Sreenivasulu

SRISAILAM, AUG. 27. Srisailam has been decked up for the Krishna Pushkaram beginning on Saturday at 6.30 am. According to the tradition, the river gets sanctified during the 12-day holy period and a dip in the river during the time is considered auspicious .

All arrangements have been made for the holy dip of pilgrims visiting the Shivite shrine located on the banks of the Krishna meandering through the Nallamala hill range. Four bathing ghats, which can accommodate around 1.2 lakh pilgrims, have been established at the ancient Pathalaganga and at Lingalagattu downstream of the dam. The Srisailam reservoir and the river which remained dry until the end of first week of August suddenly received huge inflows and the reservoir got filled to the brim in the shortest time. On certain days, the inflow into the reservoir was over two lakh cusecs, which built up the level to 883.2 ft, just 1.8 ft short of full reservoir level.

The serene location of Srisailam with lush green slopes down the hills, thick forest around and the blue waters in the reservoir is a feast to the eye for the pilgrims visiting the place during monsoon months.

Rush likely to peak

Though officials estimated a flow of 75,000 to one lakh pilgrims a day at four ghats, the arrival of people on Friday did not match the prediction. Talking to reporters, the incharge Collector, Mukesh Kumar Meena, said they would know the actual size of pilgrims only after three days. The rush is likely to peak on Saturdays and Sundays.

The temple authorities have been planning to keep the temple open for darshan for 20 hours in a day to clear the rush. Queue complex was arranged to accommodate 15,000 people at a time. According to an estimate, accommodation was available for 24,000 people in the temple town in various guest houses, choultries and cottages.

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