VIJAYAWADA, INDIA, July 7, 2016 (Deccan Chronicle): Seers from across the state have suggested that pilgrims avoid the Pavitra Sangamam — where the Godavari water from the Pattiseema project meets the Krishna — and areas downstream of the river from that point during Krishna Pushkaralu festival. They raised the issue after the government’s decision to release Godavari waters into the Polvaram right canal, through the Pattiseema project, which will ultimately merge with the Krishna. The waters will be released to the Krishna delta for 80 days at the rate of 8.5 cusecs per day.
Though the government says that the Godavari flood water would be diverted to support the west Krishna delta, the same water will end up at the Pavitra sangamam at Ibrahimpatnam, and from there it will reach the Prakasham barrage. Given this, the seers and pundits have urged the government to arrange pushkar ghats in areas like Vedadri and Amaravati, as they are geographically it would be upstream of the Pavitra Sangamam, where the water will be only that of Krishna and not mixed with Godavari waters.
Muhurtha pundit Guntupalli Sairam stated that waters from the “artificial Pavitra Sangamam” can’t be considered holy. Devotees who want to have holy bath during the Pushkaralu at Vijayawada will not get desired results as the sangama snana is against “the wishes of Pitru Devathas.” He also suggested that devotees opt for the banks of the Krishna in Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra for holy Pushkarlu baths.