BHUPALPALLY: On the third day of the ongoing Saraswati Pushkaralu at the Triveni Sangam in Kaleshwaram, thousands of devotees thronged the Pushkar Ghat, turning the riverbank and roads into scenes reminiscent of the recent Maha Kumbh Mela. With the weekend rush, devotees performed sacred rituals and took holy dips in the river.
Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao visited the ghat, took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam and performed spiritual rituals. He also visited the Shri Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy temple and offered prayers to Lord Shiva.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the Telangana government was organising the Saraswati Pushkaralu with devotion and grandeur. “I prayed for the prosperity of Telangana and the well-being of its farmers. May the state flourish with abundant crops and harmony,” he said.
He noted that this is the first Saraswati Pushkaralu being held under the leadership of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. The state government, he added, has already begun planning for the upcoming Godavari Pushkaralu, with clear directions from the CM for early execution of arrangements.
Thummala lauded IT Minister and Manthani MLA D Sridhar Babu, local representatives and the district administration for their coordinated efforts in ensuring the smooth conduct of the Pushkaralu.
The heavy pilgrim influx caused traffic congestion along the Mahadevpur-Kaleshwaram highway. Jayashankar Bhupalpally District Collector Rahul Sharma and Superintendent of Police Kiran Khare actively monitored the situation, even riding two-wheelers to help clear traffic jams and prevent untoward incidents.
Late Friday night, unseasonal rain and gusty winds damaged tents set up for pilgrims. The collector and SP inspected key areas, including Saraswati Ghat, Tent City, and nearby stalls, to assess the damage and oversee recovery efforts. A brief power disruption caused by the weather was quickly resolved by the electricity officials.
To ensure public safety, NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed and are working in coordination with district officials, who continue to monitor the situation and guide ground staff accordingly.