Antya Pushkaralu off to a grand start

Khammam/Karimnagar/Adilabad/Warangal: Gaiety and religious fervour marked the beginning of Godavari Antya Pushkaralu on Sunday as devotees in fair numbers thronged the Pushkar ghat abutting Lord Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple here.

The fete began on a devotional note with the temple priests performing special rituals from the early hours. After performing abhishekam, the processional deities were taken to the river amid the Vedic hymns and chants of the devotees.

The rituals included abhishekam to Sri Chakra Paduka Ramanuja on a spruced up launch followed by en masse holy bath of the priests and the devotees. Later in the evening, priests conducted Nadi Harati.

High Court Judge Durgaprasad Rao, ITDA project officer Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu and Bhadrachalam MLA Sunnam Rajaiah took part in the fete. In Dharmapuri, Viswayogi Viswamji inaugurated the Pushkaralu on a traditional note.

Speaking on the occasion, he appealed to people to take up massive plantation drive to save the Planet Earth from extinction. Earlier, the priests and devotees took out a rally from Sri Laxmi Narsimha Swamy temple to Godavari.

Chief Whip Koppula Eashwar, Peddapally MP Balka Suman, Jagtial sub-collector Sashanka, temple chairman Srikanth Redy and endowments assistant commissioner D Rajeshwar were present.

Later, Finance Minister E Rajender offered prayers at the temple and river. He said that government will conduct upcoming Krishna Pushkaralu on par with the grandeur of Godavari Pushkaralu.

In Basar of Adilabad district, the Minister for Endowments A Indrakaran Reddy the Pushkaralu. The fete ends on August 11. The pilgrim turnout in Ramannapet and Mangapet Pushkar ghats of Warangal district is sparse. The locals say that it was due to lack of arrangements at the ghats and publicity.

By Adepu Mahender