Hyderabad: Day three of the Saraswati Pushkaralu at Kaleshwaram saw an unrelenting stream of devotees crowding the ghats, braving traffic snarls and storm-battered grounds. Pilgrims swarmed the Triveni Sangamam near the VIP ghat, plunging into the river for the sacred bath and offering rituals to Goddess Saraswati before proceeding to the Kaleshwara Mukteeswara temple.
State agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao arrived early Saturday, took a dip in the river, and performed special prayers. Irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy is expected to attend the Godavari Harathi ceremony later in the evening.
But the influx has thrown the area into chaos. Vehicles jammed up on the stretch between Kaleshwaram and Mahadevpur five kilometres of frozen traffic. Stalled for nearly three hours. No cops in sight. No clearance efforts. Frustrated devotees lashed out at the apathy.
Adding to the misery, a violent storm ripped through Kaleshwaram late Friday night and into Saturday dawn. Temporary shelters and tents at the VIP ghat crumpled. Welcome arches set up at various locations were torn down by fierce winds. Heavy rains followed, flooding the grounds and turning the entire area into a muddy quagmire. Devotees trudged through slush, many visibly struggling.