Other services like Saraswathi Puja, Moola Nakshatra and Veda Asheervachanam will be covered soon.
Post Date – 11:30 PM, Tuesday – 12/13/22
Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam Landscape of Basar.
Neil Marr: Digital technology simplifies life and opens up new possibilities. Devotees residing anywhere in the country and the world can now easily perform ‘Aksharabhyasam’ or introduce their children to the alphabet as the management of the renowned Basar Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devasthanam (SGSD) plans to introduce online service rituals soon ,
“Considering the huge demand for ceremonies from devotees belonging to different countries and foreign countries, a proposal for launching a virtual ‘Aksharabhyasam’ service was recently sent to Commissioner V Anil Kumar, Department of Donations. Once the Commissioner nods his head, the service will be rolled out,” Temple executive Vijayarama Rao told “Telangana Today”.
Shrine authorities have discussed the introduction of the service with priests. To perform this service online, foreigners will be charged Rs 2,516 while Indian citizens will be charged Rs 1,516. Authorities are considering launching some other online services such as Saraswathi Puja, Moola Nakshatra and Veda Asheervachanam in the near future.
Currently, the price is Rs 100 for the normal ceremony and Rs 1,000 for the special Aksharabhyasam. The normal ceremony is organized in batches, consisting of 50 to 500 parents, in a shed a little further from the temple. A special Aksharabyasam is performed at venues located within the boundaries of the Holy Land. The ritual is performed by an average of 80,000 parents each year.
The only Saraswati temple in South India
This is the only temple in South India dedicated to Goddess Saraswati after the popular abode of Goddess of Learning in Kashmir. Parents gather at this shrine to perform Aksharabhayasam, a customary ritual that exposes children to education and the world of the alphabet. It is believed that the sage Vyasa lived on the banks of Godavari during the time of Mahabharatha and worshiped Goddess Saraswathi.
The historic shrine generates around 180 crore rupees a year and is visited by close to 1.5 million devotees every year. Pilgrims not only from Telangana but also from neighboring states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu receive the darshan of the Lord God after the holy bath of Godavari.
Rs 50 crore allocated for temple development
Meanwhile, the government allocated Rs 500 crore to develop temples and build infrastructure to facilitate pilgrims. The expansion of the shrine, the construction of the queue complex, and the renovation of the ceiling of the main hall are underway in the first phase of the development. A master plan has been prepared to give the shrine a facelift costing Rs 200 crore.
