Basar Temple Shifts Darshan to Balalayam For Redevelopment Works

ADILABAD: Authorities of the Gnana Saraswati Temple (Basar Saraswati temple) on Sunday shifted darshan and rituals from the inner sanctum (Garbhagudi) to a temporary ‘Balalayam’ to facilitate redevelopment works under the temple’s master plan. Temple officials stopped regular puja in the sanctum housing the main idol and began rituals to newly installed wooden ‘Devatha Murthulu’ presented by the Sringeri Sharada Peetham at the Balalayam. Arrangements were made for darshan, Aksharabhyasam and special pujas at the temporary shrine.

Devotees will offer prayers to wooden idols of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Mahankali at the Balalayam until completion of the development works, which are expected to take considerable time.

Priests performed rituals including guru prarthana, Ganapati puja, Navagraha rituals and Agni pratishta before installing the idols at the Balalayam after Sankalpam. Daily pujas will be conducted at both the Balalayam and the sanctum.

Temple executive officer Katta Anjani Devi said development works had started, with removal of some existing sheds and construction of a ramp on the northern side.

She said the main temple construction, estimated at Rs 30 crore, is being taken up by a donor, while other works will be executed by the roads and buildings department through tenders. The state government has sanctioned Rs 354 crore for the overall development.

Temple officials, including AEO Srinivas, Stanacharyulu Praveen Pathak and head priest Sanjeev Pathak, supervised arrangements for devotees at the Balalayam.