VIJAYAWADA: Pilgrims visiting Vijayawada city for Krishna Pushkarams will get an opportunity to taste renowned delicacies that are native to the Krishna district. Several voluntary organisations and philanthropists have come forward to provide food to the visiting pilgrims during the Pushkaralu.
Most of the organisations are procuring hygienic cooking equipment to serve quality food to the pilgrims. The district administration had finalised the venues for food courts which will be arranged at the apron of Prakasam barrage, Swarajya Maidan (PWD grounds) and Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) stadium.
Organised by the AP Civil Supplies department, the food courts will start functioning from August 12 in the city. Idly, dosa, upma, kattu pongali and curd rice will be served to the plgrims as menu for breakfast. Though the officials first thought of serving vegetarian thali to the pilgrims for lunch, the proposal was dropped after considering the pilgrims rush. Instead vegetable biryani will be served as lunch. In addition to that, officials are also planning to serve pulihora to the pilgrims on alternate days during the river festival.
The food courts are expected to attract large crowds to stalls which will also feature Coastal, Rayalaseema and North Indian food items as part of the festivities. As many as 3.5 crore pilgrims are expected for the 12-day festival beginning on August 12. Officials estimate that around six lakh people per day will take part in the pushkarams in Vijayawada city alone. Elaborate arrangements were being taken by the officials in this regard.
The Food Safety and Control wing is taking all precautionary steps to see that food is prepared hygienically. “Every organisation that wants to serve food to the pilgrims of Pushkaralu has to make registrations by paying a fee of Rs100. Our food inspectors will check their cooking equipment and what type of food they will serve to pilgrims. Then we will allow them to serve food to the pilgrims,” said Krishna District Food Safety Officer T Shekar Reddy.
Necessary steps are being taken by the civil supplies department for storing food articles hygienically. Nearly 54 organisations submitted applications for serving food to the pilgrims according to the stipulations made by the department, said Krishna district civil supplies officer V Ravi Kiran. Each organisation will be given a pushkar nagar to provide food to the pilgrims during the river festival. No food items will be available at the pushkar ghats except drinking water, he said.
“We are organising awareness meetings with voluntary organisations and philanthropists for preparation of food. All of the organisations accepted our stipulations,” Ravi Kiran said.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) and Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam are also been making arrangements to offer free food to one lakh pilgrims daily during the Pushkarams, he added.