Devotees Gather at Basara for Moola Nakshatram Celebrations

A significant number of devotees gathered at the Sri Gnana Saraswathi temple in Basara, Nirmal district, drawn by the auspicious occasion of ‘Moola Nakshatram.’ This event marks the birth star of Goddess Saraswathi Devi and occurs amid the ongoing Dasara Navaratri festivities.

Reports indicate that over 40,000 devotees, primarily women, arrived from various Indian states including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh, to partake in the special prayers. Among the rituals observed, many families conducted ‘Aksharabhyasam’ for their children, a ceremony particularly significant during ‘Vasant Panchami‘ and ‘Moola Nakshatra.’

Anticipating a large turnout due to previous issues during ‘Vasant Panchami,’ the temple management, along with district administration and police support, implemented comprehensive arrangements to ease the experience for pilgrims. Distinct queues were organized for general devotees and those performing ‘Aksharabhyasam,’ significantly aiding in managing the crowd and ensuring smoother proceedings for all.

“Considering the previous experiences, we made elaborate arrangements for devotees with proper coordination across all concerned departments,” stated V. Vijayarama Rao, Executive Officer of the Basara temple, to Deccan Chronicle. He noted the positive outcomes that enabled a hassle-free devotional experience.

Additional measures included seating arrangements for devotees in the queue and the distribution of ‘badham’ milk. The temple began admitting parents for ‘Aksharabhyasam’ from 2 a.m. to mitigate congestion during daytime hours.

Observing the effectiveness of these arrangements, temple officials have decided to replicate them during major festivals such as ‘Vasant Panchami.’ Concurrently, police maintained strict protocols, ensuring only legitimate attendees accessed the temple routes, underscored by surveillance camera monitoring.

In another prominent location, the Gnana Saraswathi Devi temple near Gandhi Hospital in Musheerabad, around 5,000 devotees visited for prayers, informed Bandi Srinivas, the temple manager.