| Ganga Pushkaram | |
|---|---|
 Pilgrims taking dip in the holy Ganges river at Haridwar (2012) | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Hindu festivals |
| Frequency | every 12 years |
| Venue | |
| Location(s) | Ganga River |
| Country | India |
| Most recent | 2011 |
| Next event | 22 April – 5 May 2023 |
| Area | North India |
| Activity | Holy river dip |
Ganga Pushkaram is a festival of River Ganga which normally occurs once in 12 years. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Aswini nakshatra Mesha rasi (Aries). [1]
The Ganges is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through India and Bangladesh. The 2,704 km (1,680 mi) river rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It flows south and east through the Gangetic plain of North India, receiving the right-bank tributary, the Yamuna, which also rises in the western Indian Himalayas, and several left-bank tributaries from Nepal that account for the bulk of its flow. In West Bengal state, India, a feeder canal taking off from its right bank diverts 50% of its flow southwards, artificially connecting it to the Hooghly river. The Ganges continues into Bangladesh, its name changing to the Padma. It is then joined by the Jamuna, the lower stream of the Brahmaputra, and eventually the Meghna, forming the major estuary of the Ganges Delta, and emptying into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna system is the third largest river on earth by discharge.
The Kaveri or Kaviri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The Kaveri river rises at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri range in the Western Ghats, Kodagu district of the state of Karnataka, at an elevation of 1,341 m above mean sea level and flows for about 800 km before its outfall into the Bay of Bengal. It reaches the sea in Poompuhar in Mayiladuthurai district. It is the third largest river – after Godavari and Krishna – in southern India, and the largest in the State of Tamil Nadu, which, on its course, bisects the state into north and south. In ancient Tamil literature, the river was also called Ponni.
The Indo-Gangetic Plain, also known as the North Indian River Plain, is a 700-thousand km2 (172-million-acre) fertile plain encompassing northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, including most of northern and eastern India, around half of Pakistan, virtually all of Bangladesh and southern plains of Nepal. The region is named after the Indus and the Ganges rivers and encompasses a number of large urban areas. The plain is bound on the north by the Himalayas, which feed its numerous rivers and are the source of the fertile alluvium deposited across the region by the two river systems. The southern edge of the plain is marked by the Deccan Plateau. On the west rises the Iranian Plateau. Many developed cities like New Delhi, Dhaka, Kolkata, Lahore and Karachi are located in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ruled over Kalinga. The general belief is that the Western Gangas began their rule during a time when multiple native clans asserted their freedom due to the weakening of the Pallava empire in South India, a geo-political event sometimes attributed to the southern conquests of Samudra Gupta. The Western Ganga sovereignty lasted from about 350 to 550 CE, initially ruling from Kolar and later, moving their capital to Talakadu on the banks of the Kaveri River in modern Mysore district.
Ganga is the personification of the river Ganges who is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess of purification and forgiveness. Known by many names, Ganga is often depicted as a fair, beautiful woman, riding a divine crocodile-like creature called the Makara. Some of the earliest mentions of Ganga are found in the Rigveda, where she is mentioned as the holiest of the rivers. Her stories mainly appear in post-Vedic texts such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Puranas.
The Eastern Ganga dynasty also known as Rudhi Gangas or Prachya Gangas were a large medieval era Indian royal dynasty that reigned from Kalinga from as early as the 5th century to the early 15th century. They are known as "Eastern Gangas" to distinguish them from the Western Gangas who ruled over Karnataka. The territory ruled by the dynasty consisted of the whole of the modern-day Indian state of Odisha as well as major parts of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The early rulers of the dynasty ruled from Dantapuram; the capital was later moved to Kalinganagara, and ultimately to Kataka . Today, they are most remembered as the builders of the world renowned Puri Jagannath Temple and Konark Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at Konark, Odisha.
The Pranhita River is the largest tributary of Godavari River covering about 34% of its drainage basin conveying the combined waters of the Penganga River, the Wardha River, and the Wainganga River. By virtue of its extensive network of tributaries, the river drains a large part of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra, as well as the southern slopes of the Satpura Range in southeast Madhya Pradesh. It flows along the border of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra and Komaram Bheem Asifabad district in Telangana. The Pranahita sub-basin is the seventh largest in India, measuring about 109,078 km2, making it larger than the individual basins of significant rivers such as the Narmada River and Kaveri.
Chinna Jeeyar is an Indian religious guru and yogi ascetic known for his spiritual discourses on Sri Vaishnavism. He subscribes to Thenkalai tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. He operates spiritual centers in the US. He is the designer and planner of the Statue of Equality, a statue dedicated to Ramanuja, in Hyderabad, India. He is also guiding Telangana State Government in the renovation of Yadadri Temple.
Godavari Maha Pushkaram was a Hindu festival held from 14 July to 25 July 2015. This festival occurs once every 144 years, corresponding to the 12th recurrence of the 12-year Godavari Pushkaram cycle.
Krishna Pushkaralu is a festival of River Krishna which normally occurs once in every 12 years and is celebrated with much glory. The Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Virgo. The festival is "theoretically" observed throughout the twelve months that the planet remains in that sign, but the first 12 days are considered most sacred as per the beliefs of Indians. Pushkaram has been an age old practice in southern states Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. In 2016, the celebration started on 12 August and ended on 23 August.
Pranahita Pushkaralu is a festival of River Pranahita normally occurs once in 12 years. The Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Pisces.
Narmada Pushkaram is a festival of River Narmada normally occurs once in 12 years. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Vrushabha Rasi (Taurus).
Kaveri Pushkaram is a festival of River Kaveri that normally occurs once in 12 years.
Yamuna Pushkaram is a festival of River Yamuna normally occurs once in 12 years. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Karka rasi (Cancer).
Tungabhadra Pushkaram is a festival of River Tungabhadra normally occurs once in 12 years. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Makara rasi (Capricorn).
Sindhu Pushkaram is a festival of River Sindhu normally occurs once in 12 years. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Kumbha rasi (Aquarius).
Sarasvati Pushkaram is a festival of River Sarasvati normally occurs once in 12 years. Saraswati River is considered as the 'Antarvahini' which flows at Triveni Sangam. This Pushkaram is observed for a period of 12 days from the time of entry of Jupiter into Mithuna rasi (Gemini).
The Bhima Pushkaram is the Pushkaram river festival organized on the banks of the Bhima river. It is a Hindu festival, organized once every 12 years. Thousands of people dive in to take a bath as worship. The Rashi or the Hindu zodiac sign for this river is Vrishchika or Scorpio.
Gannavaram railway station is an Indian Railways station in Gannavaram of Andhra Pradesh. It lies on the Duvvada–Vijayawada section of Howrah–Chennai main line and is administered under Vijayawada railway division of South Coast Railway zone. It serves one of the satellite stations of Vijayawada railway station. It is one of the 27 rural stations in the state to have Wi-Fi.
