KURNOOLAndhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will declare Tungabhadra Pushkarams open at 1:21 pm at Sankalbagh ghat on the banks of the Tungabhadra river here on Friday.
The Chief Minister will offer Pushkar Harathi to the holy river invoking his blessings for the peace and prosperity of the state. The 12-day event that concludes on December 1 is expected to attract three to four million pilgrims.
Although the Pushkarams are synonymous with the holy bath in the river, Covid-19 is taking away most of the pushkar fervor as pilgrims would only be allowed to take a water shower instead of a holy bath. Ironically, the Telangana state government has allowed sacred bathing on its side of the river, especially in Alampur, as long as pilgrims provide a negative corona report.
Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy called on people to participate in a simple way. He said that the ghats will be open from 6 am to 6 pm every day. Individuals need to produce an electronic ticket to enter and perform pinda pradhan and other pujas. 350 purohits will be available on 23 ghats. Purohits above 60 cannot act. The district collector, G Veeta Pandia, said that the E ticket website is an easy-to-use app and can be accessed from mobile phones.
The city of Kurnool has been engulfed in a festive atmosphere as dazzling colored electric lights, illuminations, wall paintings and other decorations have come to life in all key city circles.
Meanwhile, 23 pushkar ghats have been established in the temple city of Mantralayam, Naguladinne in Nandavaram mandal, Gundrevula in Kodumur mandal, Sunkesusla and Panchalingala in Kurnool mandal, various parts of Kurnool city, rural Nandikotkur and Sangameswaram in Kothapalli mandal.
A huge Yagasala has been installed in Sankalbhag for the yagnas.
The Tungabhadra River enters the Kurnool district in Kowthalam and ends in Sangameshwaram.
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