KARIMNAGAR: The one year wait for aspiring brides and bridegrooms in the Godavari Basin will come to an end on August 13. With Pushkarams for River Godavari last year, it was inauspicious to perform marriages or functions till the end of Anthyapushkarams and hundreds of marriages were put on hold for the past one year. Presently, ‘Antya Pushkarams’ are being held, giving a big relief to prospective brides and bridegrooms. As per the Hindu tradition, people living across the Godavari basin should not perform marriages or other rituals like house warming for a year once the Pushkarams begin.
Pendyala Sabhaiah Sharma, a retired teacher and Vedic scholar from Dharmapuri told Express that this is an age-old tradition. When Guru Graha enters into Simha Raasi (Leo), it marks the beginning of Godavari Pushkarams and is called Aadi Pushkaralu which was held from July 14, 2015, to July 25, 2015, where River Godavari flows. “Even after the conclusion of Aadi Pushkarams, the souls of our forefathers will remain in the River Godavari waters for a year and it is inauspicious to perform any programmes (wedding or housewarming) during the period,” he says. P Mahathi of Dharmapuri whose formal marriage agreement was made with a US based Telugu person some time ago, had to wait till the completion of the inauspicious period.
Not only Mahathi, but several youth made formal marriage agreements waiting for conclusion of Godavari Antya Pushkarams to tie the nuptial knot. Youth from Dharmapuri, Kaleshwaram, Manthani, Kotilingala and other nearby villages of Godavari River are waiting to get married. Another person Devalla Pradeep constructed a house, but postponed house warming ceremony due to year-long Godavari Pushkarams.