Pilgrim rush continues unabated

Eluru: Thousands of pilgrims took a holy dip in River Godavari at various ghats in West Godavari district on the eleventh day of Anthya Pushkaralu, on Wednesday. The Anthya Pushkaralu will conclude on Thursday.

In Kovvuru town, Goshpada Kshetram ghat was packed with pilgrims on the eleventh day. They offered prayers to the river and performed ‘pinda pradhanam at the ghats. As the River Godavari was in spate, the police closed two ghats at the Goshpada Kshetram. An estimated 30,000 pilgrims took the holy dip.

Most of the pilgrims were from East Godavari, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Guntur and Prakasam districts. There were pilgrims from Odisha and Madhya Pradesh as well, said officials.

Officials are arranging a farewell ceremony to Anthya Pushkaralu on the concluding day on Thursday at Kovvuru. Kovvuru RDO B Srinivasa Rao inspected the Ghats on Wednesday and instructed the officials on the steps to be taken on the concluding day.

Meanwhile, in Narsapuram, thousands of pilgrims thronged the ghats on Wednesday. At Valandhar Revu ghat, there was a heavy rush of pilgrims since the early hours of the morning.

Around 20,000 pilgrims took the holy dip at Narsapuram, said officials. The pilgrims offered prayers in the temples located at Vasistha NTR Ghat, Valandhar Revu Ghat and other ghats in the town.