Pushkarams: Sacred River Festivals of India

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Rivers with Celebrated Pushkaram Festivals:

  1. Godavari Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters the Leo (Simha) zodiac sign. One of the most prominent Pushkarams.
  2. Krishna Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Virgo (Kanya). Another significant Pushkaram, especially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
  3. Ganga Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters the Gemini (Mithuna) zodiac sign. Though Pushkaram for the Ganga is not as widely known as the Kumbh Mela, it still holds importance.
  4. Yamuna Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Taurus (Vrishabha).
  5. Narmada Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Libra (Tula).
  6. Kaveri (Cauvery) Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Libra (Tula). A significant festival in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
  7. Tungabhadra Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Sagittarius (Dhanus).
  8. Brahmaputra Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Cancer (Karka).
  9. Sarasvati Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Aries (Mesha). Though the river is believed to be mythical, certain regions still observe this festival.
  10. Penna Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Pisces (Meena).
  11. Sindhu Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Scorpio (Vrishchika). Primarily in regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
  12. Tapti Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Capricorn (Makara).
  13. Bhima Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Capricorn (Makara).
  14. Mahanadi Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Virgo (Kanya).
  15. Pranahita Pushkaram – Celebrated when Jupiter enters Sagittarius (Dhanus). Pranahita is a tributary of the Godavari.

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Pushkaram: A Sacred River Festival in India

Pushkaram, also known as Pushkara or Pushkaralu, is a sacred river festival in India that occurs once every 12 years for each of the 12 major rivers in India. It is celebrated based on the entry of Jupiter (Brihaspati) into a specific zodiac sign, corresponding to the river associated with that sign. Devotees believe that taking a holy dip in the river during Pushkaram grants spiritual purification, liberation from sins, and divine blessings.

The 12 Pushkarams and Their Celebrations in India

Each Pushkaram is dedicated to a different river and is observed when Jupiter transits into the zodiac sign associated with that river. Among these, some Pushkarams are celebrated on a large scale with massive pilgrim gatherings.

1. Godavari Pushkaram (Zodiac: Leo – Simha)

  • Most Grandly Celebrated Pushkaram in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
  • Major cities: Rajahmundry, Bhadrachalam, Basar, Nashik.
  • Considered the Kumbh Mela of the South.

Next Godavari Pushkaram:

2. Krishna Pushkaram (Zodiac: Virgo – Kanya)

  • Celebrated in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
  • Major cities: Vijayawada, Srisailam, Kurnool, Alampur.

Next Krishna Pushkaram:

3. Kaveri Pushkaram (Zodiac: Libra – Tula)

  • Celebrated in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
  • Major locations: Tala Kaveri, Srirangapatna, Srirangam.
  • Highly significant in Tamil Nadu.

Next Kaveri Pushkaram:

4. Tungabhadra Pushkaram (Zodiac: Scorpio – Vrischika)

  • Major sites: Hampi, Mantralayam, Kurnool.
  • Associated with Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s Mutt at Mantralayam.

Next Tungabhadra Pushkaram:

5. Ganga Pushkaram (Zodiac: Sagittarius – Dhanu)

  • Celebrated in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
  • Major sites: Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad (Prayagraj), Rishikesh.
  • Coincides with Ganga Dussehra and Kumbh Mela in certain years.

Next Ganga Pushkaram:

6. Yamuna Pushkaram (Zodiac: Capricorn – Makara)

  • Celebrated in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • Major cities: Mathura, Vrindavan, Prayagraj, Delhi, Agra.

Next Yamuna Pushkaram:

7. Narmada Pushkaram (Zodiac: Aquarius – Kumbha)

  • Celebrated in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
  • Major sites: Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Bharuch.

Next Narmada Pushkaram:

8. Sindhu Pushkaram (Zodiac: Pisces – Meena)

  • Celebrated in Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir.
  • Major site: Leh, Sindhu Ghat.
  • A rare and sacred event for devotees visiting Sindhu River.

9. Mahanadi Pushkaram (Zodiac: Aries – Mesha)

  • Celebrated in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
  • Major sites: Cuttack, Sambalpur, Sonepur.

10. Bhima Pushkaram (Zodiac: Taurus – Vrishabha)

  • Celebrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana.
  • Major sites: Pandharpur, Tuljapur, Kalaburagi (Gulbarga).

11. Brahmaputra Pushkaram (Zodiac: Gemini – Mithuna)

  • Celebrated in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Major sites: Guwahati (Kamakhya Temple), Tezpur, Dibrugarh.

12. Saraswati Pushkaram (Zodiac: Cancer – Karka)

  • Celebrated in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Gujarat, Rajasthan.
  • Associated with Triveni Sangam (confluence of Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati).

Most Popular and Massively Attended Pushkarams

  1. Godavari Pushkaram – The most famous and largest.
  2. Krishna Pushkaram – Next in scale, especially in Andhra Pradesh.
  3. Ganga Pushkaram – Important in the northern states.
  4. Kaveri Pushkaram – Grandly celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
  5. Tungabhadra Pushkaram – Highly sacred for devotees of Raghavendra Swamy.

These Pushkarams attract millions of devotees, with temporary ghats, cultural programs, religious discourses, and spiritual yatras organized around the riverbanks.