People throng picnic spots, mango orchards for ‘Karthika’ partiesBhavani Island witnesses huge rush as APTDC resumes boat-ride between the Punnami Ghat and the island

During the Karthika Masam Vana Bhojanalu (Garden Party), many people visited tourist destinations and mango gardens in and around Vijayawada city on the second Sunday of Karthika Masam. Picnicking during this time of year is an age-old tradition.
Community groups, associations, families, and individuals, along with children, eagerly participated in the garden parties. This event allowed people to break from their routine and enjoy a holiday during the auspicious month. A large crowd gathered at Bhavani Island to take part in the picnic.
Following recent floods, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) resumed boating operations in River Krishna between Punnami Ghat and Bhavani Island. Flooding had previously submerged Bhavani Island, halting recreational boating between Punnami Ghat and Pakasam Barrage, as well as to the island. Fortunately, boat rides were reinstated before Karthika Masam, and many people enjoyed this activity.
To ensure the safety of picnickers during boating, APTDC officials, in cooperation with local police, deployed swimmers and staff. Additionally, the police increased vigilance at Manginapudi Beach in Machilipatnam, where many people took holy dips in the sea. Monitoring was also stepped up at Hamsaladeevi Beach in Avanigadda mandal.
Meanwhile, mango gardens in the NTR and Krishna districts were filled with families, associations, and individuals enjoying the festivities. Notable locations included Nunna, Pathapadu, Kothuru Tadepalli, Kondapalli, and G Konduru in the NTR district, as well as Surampalli and Kesarapalli in the Krishna district. Many gardens also hosted Karthika Vana Bhojanalu in Adavinekkalam and Agiripalli in the Eluru district.
Vizianagaram MP Kalisetti Appala Naidu attended a garden party at a mango garden in Nunna, organised by the Royal Club Association. Club members, led by president Yarramsetti Srinivas and Baditha Sankar, welcomed and honoured the MP. During the event, he interacted with attendees who had migrated from Vizianagaram district to Vijayawada years ago.
Additionally, the Eda Vedadri Engineers (EVE) organisation, along with chairman Eda Vedadri, conducted the Karthika Vanasamaradhana at a mango garden beside the Polavaram Right Main Canal in Kothuru Tadepalli, near Vijayawada. The couple performed a special puja with milk to initiate the Kalasa Puja Ceremony by using 108 Kalasams. Fifty couples participated in conducting Abhishekams to Ganga Parvathi Sametha Shiva, alongside the Srinivasa Kalyanam, in the presence of Vedic Pundit Raghu Ramacharyulu.
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