Devotees throng Akhanda Godavari to take a holy dip on Sivaratri in Godavari region

Thousands of devotees took a holy dip in the river Godavari with devotional fervour marking Mahasivaratri in the Godavari region on Sunday (February 15), amid huge deployment of police personnel and CC camera surveillance and drones. In Akhanda Godavari, which lies between Polavaram and Dowleswaram, the devotees thronged the ghats which are being renovated in run up to the Godavari Pushkarams-2027 on both banks of the river. 

East Godavari District Collector Cherukuri Keerthi and Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation Commissioner Rahul Meena have stated that the Sivaratri holy dip has been allowed on the lines of Godavari Pushkarams, to assess the preparations for the pushkarams. The initiatives for the management of crowd, vehicle routes, bus services, and the deployment of security personnel, as well as the online monitoring of devotees, were tested on Sunday. 

The Pushkar Ghat, Kotilingala Ghat and Saraswathi Ghats witnessed the huge crowd from early hours of Sunday. Upstream Polavaram irrigation project, devotees crossed the river Godavari to have darshan of the temples in Chintoor area on Sunday. 

The major temples, such as Kukkuteswara Swamy temple in Pithapuram, Chaluklya Kumara Rama Bheemeswara Swamy temple in Samarlakota, Bheemeswara Swamy temple in Draksharama temple, also witnessed huge rush of devotees in the Godavari region.