Hotel bookings begin in Vijayawada for Pushkarams

Those wishing to go to Vijayawada for the Krishna Pushkarams from August 12 may have to hurry up if they need hotel accommodation because hotel-booking has begun. Half the rooms in good hotels have been reserved for the top officials of the government. So the people will have vie for the other half. Owing to the expected rush, the hoteliers have decided to reserve the rooms on a 12-hour basis so more people could be accommodated. There won't be any change in the daily tariff. The Krishna pushkarams will end on August 23. During the once in a 12-year mela, the people bathe in the river and may also offer prayers at Kanakadurga temple on the banks of the river. For the convenience of the pilgrims, the hotels have put their facilities on a website. The 12-hour rule for hotels has been adopted from the practice at Puttaparthy and Shirdi and other pilgrimage centres, which want to ensure facilities for the maximum number of pilgrims.