A steady stream of pilgrims continued to pour into Parnashala, the historic village situated on the banks of the Godavari in Dummugudem mandal, housing three pushkar bathing ghats including Rama ghat, Sita ghat and the old pushkar ghat.
Pilgrims from different corners of the State and elsewhere in the country are making a beeline to Parnashala, known for its impressive sculptures depicting the important episodes of Lord Sri Rama’s vanavasam (exile in Dandakaranya), located about 35 km from Bhadrachalam.
Parnashala is the second place to witness the highest number of pilgrims next to Bhadrachalam in the first two days of the ongoing 12-day fete in the district.
Increasing turnout
The pilgrim turnout which was 45,000 on the first day, increased to 60,000 on the second day on Wednesday. Around 42,000 pilgrims flocked to Parnashala till Thursday afternoon.
Pilgrims from far off places continued to throng the village taking RTC buses in the wake of curbs on the entry of private vehicles from Bhadrachalam.
People from Chhattisgarh and Odisha, besides southern States, formed a significant chunk of the pilgrims.
Most of them made it a point to visit Seethamma Vaagu, a historical site near Parnashala, for offering prayers to a statue of Goddess Sita Devi and perform an age-old ritual of throwing stones at a tree denoting “demon Surpanaka”.
“We have come here from Karnataka to participate in the Pushkaralu at a holy place of immense historical and religious significance,” said P.V. Venkatesha of Bellary.
Shower bath arranged
“We heard a lot about this place, which served as the hermitage of Lord Rama during the latter’s exile in Dandakaranya. Now we are here to have a glimpse of the historic site,” he said elatedly. The Irrigation Department has arranged shower bath facility at the Rama pushkar ghat for the benefit of pilgrims, said V.V.S. Saibaba, Project Director, Agricultural Technology Management Agency, Khammam, who is in-charge of the three pushkar bathing ghats at Parnashala.
It’s the second place after Bhadrachalam to witness the highest number of pilgrims in the first two days of the Pushkaralu
