Guntur: Cyclone dampens Karthika Pournami spirit

Guntur: The district administration did not allow the devotees to take holy bath in the sea at Suryalanka Beach on Friday after 10 am on the occasion of Karthika Pournami due to high tidal waves in the sea caused by cyclone.

The police officials sent back the devotees came to Suryalanka Beach as a precautionary measure. Though the district administration had made elaborate arrangements for Karthika Pournima for the convenience of devotees, the cyclone spoiled the spirit. Devotees got disappointed. Devotees will be allowed to Suryalanka Beach after getting further orders. Bapatla DSP A Srinivasa Rao urged the devotees not to come to Suryalanka Beach until further orders.

Earlier, Bapatla Municipal Commissioner Bhanu Pratap offered harati to the sea on the occasion of auspicious Karthika Pounami and performed pujas with Vedic hymns.

A large number of devotees took holy bath in the sea and performed pujas to Lord Siva. Women lit the lamps. Devotees went to Sri Bhavanarayana temple and performed pujas in Bapatla.

Devotees thronged Sri Trikoteswara Swamy temple on the hillock of Kotappakonda. They performed Eka Dasa Rudrabhishekams and Laksha Bilwarchana seeking blessings of Lord Trikoteswara Swamy. Women lit the lamps. Devotee rush was very much less due to rains. Due to Covid-19, devotees rush was also less during last year.

Meanwhile, a boulder fell from the hillock of Kotappakonda at ghat road due to rains on Friday morning. However, nobody was injured. There were no devotees on the ghat road at the time of incident.