Godavari Puskaralu End, 10 Crore People Attend

The 12-day Godavari Maha Pushkaralu had a grand finale with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh organizing special poojas on the last day today.

While the ministers concerned attended the concluding festivities at all the five districts in Telangana, Chandrababu Naidu attended the final day rituals at Rajahmundry along with yoga guru Baba Ramdev. The AP CM also announced the renaming of Rajahmundry to Rajamahendravaram, its original name that also better reflects the city's rich and prestigious legacy.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims thronged the banks of the river Godavari in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to take a dip on the last today. Authorities took extra measures for the safety of the pilgrims in view of the heavy numbers of pilgrims in the ghats on the last day.

In Telangana, the authorities alerted people in view of the rise in the water level. More precautionary measures were taken in temple towns of Bhadrachalam, Dharmapuri and Kaleshwaram. Pilgrims were cautioned against crossing the barricades at the ghats.

Considered auspicious as they come only once in every 144 years, this year's pushkaralu, the Maha Pushkaralu, saw a heavy influx of people from various states at the various pushkar ghats. Officials claimed that some 10 crore people in all took the "holy" dip. While 6.4 crore people took a dip in the river in the five districts of Telangana, this number was 4.9 crores in AP. To cope with the large numbers of expected pilgrims, Telangana constructed 106 bathing ghats in the five districts through which the river passes, while AP set up 280 ghats in the two Godavari districts.

People came from across the country during these 12 days to take a dip in the Godavari, known as the southern Ganga. These included Naga Sadhus who had "shahi snans" or royal baths in the temple town of Bhadrachalam. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, along with his family members, took a dip on the first day itself, as did AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at Rajahmundry. Governor E S L Narsimhan and his wife Vimala took dips in both the states.

While 27 persons died and scores were injured in a stampede at Rajahmundry on the first day of the pushkaralu on July 14, there were no other incidents. Both the governments had made elaborate arrangements by pumping in huge funds.

The Telangana government did not manage to get waters from Maharashtra to fill up the Godavari at Basara in the Adilabad district where it had dried up, but managed to make arrangements somehow.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao directed his cabinet colleagues and top officials to stay in the towns assigned to them till the last pilgrim took a dip in the river. (NSS)