Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devi
There are very few temples of Goddess Saraswathi Devi. Basara Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devi temple is one of the ancient historical temples in India. Basara is situated in Nirmal District of Telangana State and is 35 km away from Nizamabad town.
As per sthalapurana, in the olden days Sri Vyasa Maharshi lived in this place, hence the place called ‘Vasara’. Later, Vasara became ‘Basara’ due to the influence of the Marathi Language.
Legend
There is an interesting Sthalapurana about the temple and Goddess. Accordingly, Vyasa Maharshi installed Goddess Gnana Saraswathi Devi in Basara from the sand on the banks of Godavari.
Kumarachala Parvata
In the olden days, Kumara (Lord Subrahmanya) Swami, came to Bhooloka and took a rest for some time on a mountain in this region. Hence the mountain is named ‘Kumarachala Parvata’. After the Mahabharata war, Vyasa Maharshi came to the south and reached the Kumarachala Parvatha and spent some time there doing penance in a mountain cave.
One day while doing penance, Jaganmata appeared to Vyasa Maharshi and asked: “Bring three handfuls of sand from River Godavari and pour it on the earth and perform puja for that sand”. According to the Jaganmata’s words, sage Vyasa took three handfuls of sand from the Godavari and poured it on the earth. Immediately the sand became three holy idols.
The three idols are
- Sri Saraswati Devi,
- Sri Lakshmi Devi and
- Sri Mahankali.
Kumarachalavasini
Goddess Saraswati is also known as ‘Kumarachalavasini’ because the goddess is enshrined on ‘Kumarachala Parvatha’ (Mountain).
Another Legend
According to another legend, after the end of the Mahabharata war in the Dwapara Yuga, Vyasa Maharshi reached South India and reached the present Basara region after traveling to different places. Looking at this glorious area, sage Vyasa wanted to stay here for some time and set up an ashram.
He used to bathe in the Godavari river every day bring sand with three handfuls and perform puja. Meanwhile, one day he bathed in the Godavari river as usual brought three handfuls of sand, and made three idols. Those three idols are Sri Saraswati Devi, Sri Lakshmi Devi and Sri Mahankali Ammavarlu.
Sthala Purana reveals that sage Vyasa worshipped these three idols.
History
As per historical records, the temple was first built in the 8th and 9th centuries by the Rashtrakuta king. The temple was destroyed due to the attacks of the Muslim rulers in the 13th century A.D. After that, Sri Vidyaranyaswamy rebuilt the temple in the 14th Century A.D.
Makkaji Patel, the local leader played a major role in the construction and development of the temple. During the Godavari Pushkarams in the year 2013, the temple was renovated.
The Godavari River is located one kilometer away from the Gnana Saraswati Temple in Basara. On the banks of the river Godavari, there is a temple for Lord Siva. In this temple, Lord Siva is being worshipped as ‘Sri Suryeswara Swamy’ in Lingarupa.
There are idols of Mother Godavari and Vedavati near Shivalayam. There is a temple of Sri Vedavyasa on the main road near the road leading to Sri Gnana Saraswati temple premises.
Temple
In Basara, Sri Gnana Saraswathi Ammavari temple was built in a large area.
- On the North and the West sides, there are Gopuradwaras to enter the main temple.
- It is a three-storied gopuram on the north and a five-storied gopuram on the west.
- The main temple consists of Mahamandapam, Mukhamandapam and Garbalayam.
- Utsavamurti of the Goddess appears in Mukha Mandapam.
In Garbhalaya, we can see the Goddess of Sri Gnana Saraswathi Devi Ammavaru holding veena in two hands we can also see the Lotus flower in one hand and akshamala in the other. In addition to the main deity Sri Saraswathi Devi, we can also see Sri Lakshmi Devi on the right side.
On the northern side of the temple premises, we can see various gods on the platform under the neem and peepul trees. In the temple premises, there are temples for Sri Dattatreya Swamy and Sri Mahankali Ammavaru.
Aksharaabhyasam
There is Vyasa guha (cave) on the hill near the temple. It is said that sage Vyasa did penance in this cave. ‘Aksharaabhyasam’ (It is an age-old practice in which a child is given initiation of education in the temple or a sacred place or done in front of a priest etc.) is the first step to acquiring knowledge. It is believed that doing such Aksharaabhyasam in the temple in Basara temple will be fruitful.
Hence, Hundreds of parents perform Aksharaabhyasam with their children every day in the temple. In this temple, daily sevas like Suprabhatam, Sahasranamaarchana, Ekanthaseva are being performed.
There are weekly and monthly rituals performed in the temple. Annual Brahmotsavams are celebrated in the month of Ashvayuja Masam for nine days during Dasara in a grand style. Special pujas are performed on the occasion of Sripanchami, to Sri Saraswathi Devi in Maghamasam.
Route
In Basara, accommodation facilities are available for the devotees in temple cottages and private cottages.
Basara is located at a distance of 145 km from Adilabad and 35 km from Nizamabad on the Hyderabad-Manmad railway line and has train facilities from Secunderabad, Nanded, Nizamabad, and Kamareddy.
There are bus facilities from places like Hyderabad, Nizamabad, Bhainsa, Nirmal.
Click here for the Google map’s location.
Sharadindu samaakaare parabrahma swaroopini
Vyasaraapeetha nilaya saraswathi namostute!!
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