Revanth Opens Saraswati Ghat

Warangal: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday announced ₹200 crore for the comprehensive development of the Kaleshwaram temple in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district. The funds are aimed at transforming the temple into a major pilgrimage hub ahead of the upcoming Godavari Pushkaralu scheduled for 2027.

The Chief Minister on Thursday visited Kaleshwaram temple on the occasion of Saraswathi Pushkaralu and, accompanied by several Cabinet ministers, took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangamam, the confluence of the Godavari, Pranahita and Saraswati rivers. The CM formally inaugurated the 12-day religious event and launched the newly constructed Saraswati Ghat.

Revanth Reddy, along with ministers D. Sridhar Babu, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha, unveiled a 17-foot monolithic idol of Goddess Saraswati at the Pushkar Ghat. They also offered prayers at the Mukteswara Swamy temple and had darshan of Subhananda Devi and Saraswati Mata.

Addressing the devotees, Revanth Reddy stressed the importance of preserving Telangana’s spiritual legacy. “This is the first Saraswati Pushkaralu being held after the formation of Telangana state in 2014. Rivers are not just water bodies, they symbolise our culture and are revered as deities,” he said.

Highlighting the state government’s broader plans, Revanth Reddy announced that elaborate arrangements would be made for the upcoming Godavari and Krishna Pushkarams, along with the Medaram Jatara. He praised Manthani constituency, calling it a culturally rich region with a legacy shaped by leaders like former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and former speaker D. Sripada Rao.

He lauded IT minister Sridhar Babu for bringing investments to the state and urged the people to continue supporting him.

Sridhar Babu said the state government had made elaborate arrangements for the Saraswathi Pushkaralu, which will be held until May 26. “A budget of ₹40 crore has been allocated for the Saraswati Pushkaralu. Officials from 19 departments have worked for three months to ensure a smooth experience for pilgrims,” he said.

For the first time in the state, a “Tent City” has been set up to accommodate devotees and the Godavari Harathi ritual will be performed daily by Vedic scholars from Kashi, he said.

The minister also appealed for an additional ₹100 crore and a special master plan to further develop Kaleshwaram into a prominent spiritual tourism destination. He requested the CM to also initiate tourism development at Ramagiri Fort.

The endowment department has made extensive arrangements for the Pushkaralu, which occur once every 12 years when Jupiter enters Gemini. Daily rituals, yagas and cultural programme are scheduled and authorities expect up to 1.5 lakh devotees daily.