A woman letting a lamp float in the Godavari on the eve of the Pushkaram at Rajahmundry on Tuesday. — Photo: Satish . H.
HYDERABAD
July 29.
The stage is set for the Godavari pushkarams — the eagerly awaited
event of immense religious significance for Hindus — at 12.59 tomorrow.
About 30 million people are expected to take a holy dip during the
12-day pushkarams in the Godavari along its meandering course in Andhra
Pradesh, from Kaaleswaram in Karimnagar district to Antervedi in East
Godavari, where it joins the Bay of Bengal. The Chief Minister, N.
Chandrababu Naidu, will take a dip in the river at Rajahmundry, where
most pilgrims are expected, at 12.59 p.m., the precise moment when
Jupiter (Brihaspathi) enters Leo (Simha). The Governor, Surjit Singh
Barnala, will participate at Bhadrachalam, the abode of Lord Rama.
Conducting the once-in-12-years mega event smoothly is the major
preoccupation of the State administration. Rajahmundry town, the age-old
seat of Telugu culture, literature and fine arts, and Basar, which
houses a unique shrine of Goddess Saraswati, have been decked up for the
occasion.
The swirling Godavari, which is quite turbulent at Nasik in Maharashtra,
is much subdued in downstream Telangana centres such as Dharmapuri,
where the levels are too low for the comfort of pilgrims. Further down,
the river is in near spate at Bhadrachalam and Rajahmundry, endangering
the prospects of a safe dip for the tens of thousands of pilgrims who
have already reached the place. However, the levels are falling `by the
hour'. `Pushkarams' have a deep spiritual significance for the Hindus,
who have an abiding tradition of worshipping rivers. They believe that
on occasions like the pushkarams, the rivers are invested with divinity.
A holy dip in the hallowed waters of the Godavari, it is believed, will
enhance one's spiritual, mental and physical abilities. The Godavari
`pushkarams' are also unique that `Antya Pushkaram' follows the 12-day
event during the last 12 days of the year.
The star attraction at Rajahmundry is the giant-sized Sivalinga. Water
from the Godavari is drawn to the lingam and the pilgrims can take bath
under its showers. For the benefit of pilgrims, replicas of important
shrines in Andhra Pradesh have been built in the town. An exquisitely
sculpted image of Pushkarudi flanked by Godavari matha and Simha,
brought from Chennai, will be unveiled at Rajahmundry tomorrow.
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