Godavari Pushkaralu on the lines of Kumbh Mela

The Telangana government has decided to organise the upcoming Godavari Pushkaralu on the lines of the Kumbh Mela, with large scale arrangements reflecting the cultural identity, traditions and spiritual heritage of the State.

This was decided at the first meeting of the Cabinet Sub Committee on “Godavari Pushkaralu 2027”, held at the Dr B R Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu and attended by Ministers Konda Surekha, Tummala Nageswara Rao, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Seethakka and Adluri Laxman Kumar along with Government Adviser Sudarshan Reddy and senior officials.

During the meeting, officials were directed to undertake permanent infrastructure works that highlight the Telangana brand and reflect the State’s rich cultural traditions. The committee reviewed the Pushkaram schedule, departmental preparedness and the roadmap for infrastructure development and administrative coordination. According to Vedic scholars, the Adi Pushkaralu will be held from June 26 to July 7, 2027, while the Antya Pushkaralu will take place from July 13 to July 24, 2028.

Ministers said the people’s government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had earlier organised major spiritual events such as Saraswati Pushkaralu and Sammakka Saralamma Jatara successfully and expressed confidence that the Godavari Pushkaralu would be conducted on an even grander scale.

An estimated eight crore devotees are expected to participate in the Pushkarams. Officials identified 96 locations along the Godavari river across several districts and linked them with major temples situated along the river banks. Based on experiences from previous Pushkarams, the government is preparing separate State level and district level action plans. The plans focus on strengthening ghats, improving road connectivity and developing essential infrastructure suited to local conditions.

Officials said Detailed Project Reports will be completed by the end of this month. In the first phase, nine locations witnessing heavy pilgrim footfall have been identified as Tier One areas where works will be taken up on priority. The government will also appoint a Special Officer for the Pushkarams along with department wise nodal officers to ensure better coordination. Special attention will be given to traffic regulation at ghats, emergency access routes, medical facilities, parking arrangements and crowd management.

Ministers directed officials to ensure meticulous planning and high quality infrastructure, making it clear that there should be no compromise in arrangements for the mega religious event.

Special attention to Roads

Minister Venkat Reddy said the State government aims to conduct the Pushkaralu in a grand and spiritual manner. Departments were asked to focus on ghat development, road connectivity, drinking water, sanitation and traffic management. Special attention will be given to roads, parking and infrastructure along the Godavari stretch from Kandakurthi to Bhadrachalam.

He said the Godavari, often revered as the Telangana Ganga, attracts crores of devotees for the sacred bath during Pushkaralu. Officials were directed to prepare a comprehensive route map and infrastructure plan in coordination with all departments and the police to ensure smooth arrangements.

Temple Development Circuit from Basara to Bhadrachalam

Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy directed officials to prepare plans for developing major and ancient temples along the Godavari basin from Basara to Bhadrachalam as a temple tourism circuit ahead of the Godavari Pushkaralu. Speaking in the Cabinet Sub Committee meeting, he stressed the need for a comprehensive master plan to improve road connectivity to major temples. Officials were asked to estimate financial requirements for road construction and infrastructure. The plan will connect key temples including Basara, Kondagattu and Bhadrachalam, while the Bhadrachalam temple master plan will be placed before the Chief Minister for approval.