Basar temple deity appears as Skandamata on 5th day of Navaratri

Officials of the shrine said that Maha Abhisekam and many other special prayers were performed to the deity to mark the commencement of the ceremonies.

Nirmal: The presiding deity of Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam in Basar appeared in the form of Skandamata on the fifth day of the ongoing annual Navaratri ceremonies on Monday.

Officials of the shrine said that Maha Abhisekam and many other special prayers were performed to the deity to mark the commencement of the ceremonies. Priests presented curd rice to the deity as part of the tradition. Devotees from several parts of the state visited the shrine by taking holy dip in Godavari river.

---

Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements were made for smooth conduct of a mega Askharabhyasam or initiation into the world of alphabets to be held on the premises of the shrine on auspicious October 9. Price of the ticket for the general service was Rs 100, while the cost of special Aksharabhyasam was Rs 1,000.

Temporary queue lines were created to manage the crowd. Drinking water and two bio-toilets were kept available for devotees, while 40 expert divers drawn from Nizamabad district were going to be deployed at Godavari. Three Parking lots were identified. Silk vastram will be presented to the deity on Wednesday.

Believed to be constructed some 5,000 years ago on the northern banks of Godavari, the shrine is the only temple of Saraswathi, the goddess of learning, in southern India. It is believed that sage Vyas had worshipped goddess Saraswathi and meditated here during the times of Mahabharata.