The large pushkarini — sacred tank — adjoining the temple is the heart of the pilgrimage complex. Pilgrims take ritual baths here before entering the temple, and the stepped ghats that line the tank are the most visually striking part of Vemulawada at any time of day, but especially at dawn, when lamps are lit on the water and the air smells of flowers and incense.
The tank is broad and well-maintained, with stone ghats descending into the water on several sides. Priests perform aarti at the ghats in the mornings and evenings. Even if you are not a pilgrim, spending an hour here at sunrise — watching the bathers, listening to the chanting, and seeing the temple's gopuram reflected in the still water — is a worthwhile experience.