Sri Gnana Saraswati, Basara

The Sri Gnana Saraswati temple at Basar in Nirmal district, Telangana, on the Godavari river — one of only two major Saraswati temples in India (with Pushkar's Saraswati temple) where the goddess of learning is the primary sanctum deity. The temple is said to have been founded by the sage Vyasa (traditional Mahabharata author) and his son Shuka after their pilgrimage along the Godavari. The current structure is 15-16th century Vijayanagara-period with major 19-century additions. The temple is famous for the Akshara Abhyasa ritual, in which young children are brought to the goddess for initiation into reading-and-writing — thousands of children from across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka are brought annually for the ritual, particularly on Vasant Panchami (February). The temple is managed by the Telangana Endowments Department.