Kurnool, November 18: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will inaugurate the 12-day Tungabhadra Pushkaralu festival  that is scheduled to start from November 20 in Kurnool. The district administration and Kurnool Municipal Corporation have arranged 23 pushkar ghats and appointed 350 priests for the smooth conduct of pinda pradanam and other rituals. Special teams have been set-up to supervise arrangements of the festival. India News | Andhra Finance and Irrigation Ministers Review Arrangements for Pushkaram Festival.

Keeping in view the COVID-19 outbreak,  bathing in the Tungabhadra river has been prohibited, showers have been installed on the ghats instead. Pilgrims will be issued e-tickets only. As a precautionary measure, the Kurnool district administration has made COVID-19 tests compulsory for purohits. They are also mandated to wear the mask and keep sanitizing their hands as often as possible. India News | Irrigation Minister Refutes Reports of Reducing Polavaram Dam's Height in AP's West Godavari.

 

Special tents, dressing rooms, toilets and bathrooms have been set up to ensure proper cleanliness and hygiene. The district administration has also set up temporary hospitals and sheds, traffic controlling lines, swimmers, bus services, cultural events, water and food distribution counters and a central control room.More than 4,000 police personnel have been deployed for an efficient conduct of the 12-day event.

Tungabhadra Pushkaralu is a 12-day Hindu festival which is observed once every 12 years. It is mainly celebrated at the ghats of Tungabhadra river in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Priests and devotees from all over India assemble at the ghats to take a holy dip in the river. This year it is being observed from November 20 to December 2, 2020.

 

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 18, 2020 02:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).