RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: On the eighth day of Godavari Antya Pushkaram, as many as 1.50 lakh pilgrims took divine bath across the district because of Sunday and Naga Panchami. There was rush in Pushkar Ghat and VIP ghats and many people offered pinda pradanams to their ancestors.
Meanwhile, there was rush of pilgrims at Kotipalli and Appanapalli ghats. The police removed barricades at some places in the city as there was not much rush. This year, pilgrims from Odisha and West Bengal did not come in large numbers to the celestial festival.
Many non-governmental organisations also came forward to extend services to the pilgrims.
Thousands celebrate in West Godavari DistThousands took holy dip at various ghats in West Godavari on Sunday, a report from Eluru said. Heavy turnout of pilgrims was witnessed in Kovvuru, Narsapuram and Sidhantham ghats of the district.
In Kovvuru, hundreds of pilgrims took a dip in River Godavari and offered prayers in the morning. Former minister and former chairman of TTD, Kanumuri Bapiraju, alongwith his family took a holy dip at the Goshpadakhshetram Ghat in Kovvuru and offered prayers to the sacred river.
The pilgrims took holy dip and offered prayers in temples on the banks of Godavari at Goshpadakshetram till noon. As the flood level of Godavari is on the rise, two ghats in Goshpadakshetram were closed from noon.
In Narsapuram, pilgrims took a holy dip in River Vasistha. Pilgrims also assembled at Teeparru and Pattiseema ghats.