12-day Saraswati Antya Pushkaralu begins in Telangana's Kaleshwaram
Hyderabad, May 21
Saraswati Antya Pushkaralu began at Kaleshwaram in Jayashankar Bhupalapally district of Telangana on Thursday with Kanchi Math pontiff Sri Shankar Vijayendra Saraswati taking the first holy dip.
State Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, IT and Industries Minister Dudilla Sridhar Babu and his wife, and others also took the first sacred bath at 5.43 a.m.
Authorities expect about 20-30 lakh devotees to take part in the 12-day holy event, being held in Telangana for the first time.
Saraswati River is a mystical, subterranean stream that merges with the Godavari and Pranahita rivers at Kaleshwaram, forming the sacred Triveni Sangam at Kaleshwaram. It is one of the only two places in India -- along with Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh -- where this confluence occurs
Taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam is believed to wash away sins and free devotees from the cycle of rebirth.
MLAs Gandra Satyanarayana Rao and Malreddy Rangareddy, Endowments Department Commissioner Hanumantha Rao, District Collector Rahul Sharma, religious advisor Govinda Hari, and others also participated in the sacred bath.
A large number of devotees from various Telangana and other states are taking the holy dip.
According to an official release, the district administration has made all arrangements to ensure devotees face no inconvenience. All facilities, such as security, cleanliness, drinking water, medical services, transportation, and more, have been provided.
District Collector Rahul Sharma stated that all departments are working in coordination to ensure devotees can perform their Pushkara Snanams comfortably and safely during this auspicious period.
Earlier, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy called for the Saraswati Antya Pushkaralu to be observed with devotion and grandeur. He stated that the state government has made extensive arrangements for the Saraswati Antya Pushkaralu to be held from May 21 to June 1.
The CM has directed officials to ensure that devotees arriving for the Pushkara baths face no difficulties. He instructed that traffic control be implemented without hindrance to the devotees' movement.
Given the intense heat, he advised devotees to take necessary precautions to protect their health.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Wonderful spiritual event! 🙏 The mythological significance of the Saraswati river merging with Godavari is fascinating. But I hope the authorities also focus on waste management and cleanliness during these 12 days - Pushkaralu can create a lot of litter.
As someone who's visited Kaleshwaram before, this is a big moment for Telangana. The temple architecture there is stunning. Glad to see the CM and ministers taking active interest. Hope the devotees have a blessed experience!
Good to see the administration's preparations - security, medical services, drinking water all arranged. But with 20-30 lakh devotees expected, I hope the traffic management is better than last time's Pushkaralu chaos. Let's see if they can handle it smoothly.
This is beautiful - the concept of the mystical Saraswati river is so unique to Indian spirituality. Only two places in India have this confluence! 🌊 May the divine blessings flow for all who participate. The Kanchi Math pontiff's presence adds so much sanctity.
So proud of Telangana for hosting this! 🙌 The Triveni Sangam at Kaleshwaram is a hidden gem. I just hope the government's preparations are enough - last Pushkaralu in Andhra had some issues with water quality. Let's keep the sacred river clean!
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