Our Pilgrimage to Godavari Maha Pushkaram.

Finally we have been able to make the pilgrimage today to the holy River Godavari - Maha Pushkaram, which occurs once in 144 years! Today is the penultimate day of the twelve day Pushkaralu. We waited so long hoping that the unprecedented crowds thronging the bathing Ghats all along River Godavari, creating delays and chaos on roads and at river banks would ease off. Amidst continued reports of such rush we came to know of few Pushkar Ghats near Sriram Sagar Project (Pochampadu Project) where the rush of pilgrims was comparatively less and the water level of the River good for bathing. And we choose a bathing Ghat at a place called Savel in Nizamabad District. This is along the downstream of Sriram Sagar Dam, on the right bank of River Godavari and it is 208 Kms. from our house. We started from our house today, at 6:00 AM and reached Savel by 9:30 AM and we are back at home by 5:30 PM. All along the route during our to and fro journeys there was heavy traffic but without any holdups and we were able to park our huge 12-Seater Tempo Traveller that you can see in the attached pictures close to the bathing Ghat. I am making a special mention of this convenience because at many Ghats Vehicles are being stopped several kilometers away and pilgrims are made to walk all the way to the Ghats.

On reaching the Savel Ghat at 9:30 AM, I and my brother-in-law, took bath in the River and carried out the ritual of Pushkara Pithru Karma/Pinda Pradhanam – a ceremony for all our departed elders and family members, to express our gratitude to them and seek their blessings.  And after this ceremony we both and the rest of our eight family members took holy bath in the river which is called Pushkara Darshanam – worshipping the River and Pushkara Snanam – holy bath to purify us. This was followed by Pushkara Dhanam – Dakshina in the form of clothing and money to the Brahmins by individual family members. And then we went to the Temple close to the River bank and  had darshan of Sri Anjaneya Swamy.

Please click on the link below to read my exhaustive article on Pushkaralu wherein I have explained the facts behind this festival and about all the above rituals…Pushkara Snanam, Pinda Pradhanam and Pushkara Dhaanam:

CLICK HERE to know all about PUSHKARALU

We are all very happy that we could accomplish this important pilgrimage. We are feeling very blessed. And we are also happy as the journey went off very well. We carried a variety of food for our breakfast, lunch and snacks. We had our breakfast in our moving vehicle and lunch at my friend’s Mango grove and Rice Mill near Masaipet.

Tomorrow is the last day of Godavari Maha Pushkaralu. Those of you, who are still in two minds of going on this pilgrimage, please do make up your mind in favour of making it, it will certainly add to your peace and well-being.

P.S. Thanks to Telangana State Government, especially the State Police and the Government Servants engaged in Pushkar duties  for the amazing arrangements they have made along the roads leading to Pushkar Ghats, for orderly vehicle parking supervision and most importantly for very thoughtful and extraordinary conveniences at the bathing Ghats.