Krishna Pushkaram 2016 Yatra

Krishna Pushkaram 2016 is a 12-day river festival held once in 12 years. This  is the 4th Pushkaram of Krishna river I attended ever since my childhood. The only difference is that I had divine opportunity of taking holi trip at and dip in Beechpalli Pushkar ghat, Mehaboobnagar District, Telangana State - 165 Km from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad to Bangalore National Highway) instead of conventionally going over to the hitherto centered around Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. 

Started at 6-30am on Sunday the 14 August 2016 ( Eakadasi ) the third day of Pushkaralu, along with my wife Lakshmi, her brother Jagannadha Sastry family and their sister Ramani's family in all total 8  reached pushkara ghat after a pleasant journey in a Taxi drive of two and half hours.

We have taken a ritualistic snaan (bath) and a dip in the religious fervour filled primary bathing ghat. Hats off to Government machinery & NGOs volunteers who are keeping up best arrangements - be it cleniness or  monitoring safety or guiding devotees.

I performed Pinda Pradanam  to my parents first time during a pushakatam after their recent

demise. We also had a darshan of Lord Hanuman temple on banks of Krishna river. We all returned to Hyderabad with a feeling of spiritual retreat with pushkar darshan experiencing  a mix of scroching sun and a lashing rain that increased spiritual vibrations.

Important Tips for pilgrims:

1. To carry portable umbralla + drinking water+ carry bags to rollup & keep wet garments after bath.

2. Glucose packs must be part of things to carry and consume to help maintain energy to walk about 5 km to and fro car parking & bathing ghats.

3. Start early morning to avoid trafic hassels and less waiting at Toll gates.

5. Avoid use of soap or shampoo as Police are seen pullingup those people using such material to keep bathing area pollution free.

6. Go close to river barricade to experience fresh water flow.

7. Know more about Pushakram at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushkaram

8. Resite following sloka before taking pushakara bath:

"pippalaada samutpanne kRtyE loka bhayaMkarI  mRttikaaMtE maayaadattaM aahaaraardhaM prakalpaya"

May the river Godess Krishnaveni shower her blessings to all pilgrims of  Krishna River Pushkarams 2016.

Suryanarayana SV
http://m.suryanarayana.com