GODAVARI PUSHKARAM - 2003

The rivers of India have been closely associated with our history and civilization. Entwined with spirituality
and philosophy, they have always been worshipped as personifications of divinity. The places located at
the course of rivers are treated as sacred. Since time immemorial river worship is known as Puhkaram to
make the people realise the importance of water, the life-sustaining force.
Pushkaram is a holy happening once in every 12 years at each of the 12 major rivers of India, the
Godavari being one among them. Every 12th year Jupiters entry into the constellation Leo marks the
Pushkaram for Godavari. It is believed that during this period all deities with the rishis (holy men) enter
the particular river for a holy dip. It is a belief that the rituals like snana (bath), dana (charity), japa
(recitation), archana (worship) and dhyana (meditation),performed during Pushkaram bless the people in
every sphere of their lives .
Andhra Pradesh extended a hearty welcome to all pilgrims and tourists who arrived for the Godavari
Pushkaram which began on 30th July, 2003 and ended on 10th August, 2003. Enriched with abundant
cultural heritage, Andhra Pradesh boasts of many temple towns on the banks of the Godavari river.
Pushkara Mahotsavam was held at nine prominent temple towns in the State. They were Basara in
Adilabad, Dharmapuri and Kaleswaram in Karimnagar, Bhadrachalam in Khammam, Kovvuru in West
Godavari and Rajahmundry, Pattiseema, Drasksharamam and Antharvedi in East Godarvari districts. A
large number of pilgrims converged in these places. To give a wide publicity to the festival, the State
Tourism Department organised literary and cultural programmes at all the temple towns along with
exhibitions. Ethnic Food Festivals were an added attraction. The literary and cultural programmes
included religious discourses, devotional music, poetic symposia, dance ballets, stage plays, and various
other popular forms of entertainment.
The State Information and Public Relations Department was the nodal agency for publicising Pushkaram.
It published a book titled Godavari Pushkarams - Darshaneeya Shketralu in 6 languages. It also printed
one lakh posters in Oriya, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, English and Hindi to be distributed in all the
States and Union Territories. About 100 hoardings were set up all over the State besides outdoor publicity
campaigns on bus panels. Public announcement booths were installed at 88 bathing ghats in the temple
towns alongside the Godavari. There were around 10 media centres and 80 information centres equipped
with telephone, computer, e-mail and Internet facilities for the journalists.
To educate the visiting tourists about the significance of the holy festival, 7000 hoardings were put up in
each of the seven districts. They elaborated on the precautions and guidelines for keeping the
surroundings neat and clean during the holy dip. Around 500 slides were also prepared to educate the
tourists on environmental issues and places of tourism. All India Radio and Doordharshan had made
elaborate arrangements for broadcasting and telecasting the Pushkaram events. The Department of
Posts released four special covers depicting the Godavari Rail-Road Bridge at Rajahmundry, Goutam
Maharshi, Sir Arthur Cotton and Kandukuri Veereshalingam. To create a cultural atmosphere, publicity
was also mounted through the folk media. Around 34 thousand persons including volunteers from NGOs,
NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides were in attendance for providing various services to the pilgrims. All
volunteers were trained to help the large congregations everywhere.
Transport Facilities
The South Central Railway made elaborate arrangements to transport 2.50 lakh pilgrims every day during
the 12 day-long Godavari Pushkaram. As many as 396 special trains were organized for this mega-
religious event from Rajahmundry and Basara. Around 500 personnel of the Railway Police Force were
deployed to conduct vigilance checks and prevent thefts.
The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) operated nearly 1100 special buses
for the Godavari Pushkaram 2003. It arranged special package tours from Rajahmundry on various
routes. Similar package tours were also arranged from other districts. The RTC provided amenities like
shelters, computer reservation counters, seating accommodation, drinking water, temporary toilets,
canteens, temporary telephone booths at control points and cell phones. It also arranged medical camps
at temporary bus stations for passengers.
Security
Over 15,000 police personnel were deployed for the twelve-day Godavari Pushkarams along the banks of
the river. Besides, 10,572 policemen were posted in East and West Godavari districts. An elaborate
police arrangement was made in view of the gathering of over five crore pilgrims from different parts of
the country. A control room was established at Hyderabad. Better communication system and 200 CCTV
facility were provided at important bathing ghats to monitor the crowds. Boats and trained police
swimmers are deployed at strategic places around the ghats to prevent any mishap. Luckily, the mega
event passed off without any untoward happening anywhere.
Health Measures
The State Department of Health provided medical assistance to the pilgrims and prevented the outbreak
of epidemics during the Pushkarams. The State Government deployed medical personnel, equipment and
medicines at all 164 bathing ghats in all the seven districts from July 30 to August 10. The banks of the
river were chlorinated regularly. There was a strict monitoring of food and drinking water on the lines of
the model adopted at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in 2001.
The Andhra Pradesh Government spent Rs. 172 crore and made a request to the Planning Commission
for a grant of Rs. 100 crore for undertaking construction of permanent structures, bathing ghats,
renovation of temples and laying of roads. The 12-day Godavari Pushkaram in Andhra Pradesh was a
grand success by all accounts.
Inputs from P.J . Sudhakar, PRO (Defence) Secunderabad