Tuesday 14 July 2015

Pushkaralu Festival in India

Why in news?
  • Celebration and Stampede
What is it
  • Pushkaram festival is dedicated to worshiping of rivers.
  • It is also known as Pushkaralu (in Telugu), Pushkara or Pushkar.
  • It is celebrated at shrines along the banks of 12 major sacred rivers in India, in the form of ancestor worship, spiritual discourses, devotional music and cultural programmes. 
  • Maha Godavari Pushkaralu:
    • The celebration happens annually, once in 12 years along each river. so the turn of the river comes after 144 years.
    • Godavari Pushkaralu is being celebrated in July 2015
    • The Pushkaram tradition is not mentioned in the early Hindu texts; it is part of the Hindu astrological lore
    • worship of rivers
    • In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
    • 12 day event 
The story behind
  • According to a legend mentioned in astrology treatises such as Jataka Parijata (1426), a Brahmin was granted a boon from Shiva after severe penance. The boon was that he would be able to live in water and purify the holy rivers. The Brahmin came to be known as Pushkara ("the one who nourishes"). On a request from Bṛhaspati (Jupiter), he decided to enter one of the 12 sacred rivers when Bṛhaspati traveled from one zodiac sign to another.

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