Lecturer Amar Viplow.

B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

This temple is situated in Basara village Mudhole mandal in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh state, India.
It is about 40 kms from Nizambad district head quarters and 70 Kms from Nirmal town of Adilabad district. Situated at a distance of 200 kms (approx) from Hyderabad.

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B

Located on the bank of river Godavari at Basara, Saraswati temple is one of the two famous Saraswati temples in India, the other being in Jammu & Kashmir.

Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

This is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswathi. The temple at Basar is also the abode of Goddess Lakshmi and Kali. The structure dates back to the Chalukya period. This temple has no exquisite carvings like other temples. Walking ahead a few steps, one enters the sanctum sanctorum - The presiding deity, 'Gnana Saraswathi Devi', is in a seated position with a 'Veena' in hand and bedecked with turmeric. Adjacent is the shrine of Goddess Maha Lakshmi and a little distance away, on the eastern side is the Maha Kali temple. These three idols of the deities are made of sand stone . There is a marble image of SageValmiki and his samadhi near the temple.

Basara, Saraswati

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Gateway to Saraswati temple

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Entrance steps to temple

Front view of temple

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Top view of temple

Walk way to temple door

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Inside temple around sanctum Sanctorum

Inside temple around sanctum Sanctorum

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Inside temple around sanctum Sanctorum

Saraswathi Goddess Inside sanctum Sanctorum

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Goddess Laxmi

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Goddess MahaKali

Old image showing deities

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Old Temple

Vyas temple

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Maharishi Vyas

In cave

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Legend has it that Sage Veda Vyasa during his stay here used to bring daily three handsfull of sand after a bath in Godavari and kept it at a place, which transformed as the images of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali. Since Maharishi Vyasa spent considerable time in prayers, the place was then called "Vasara" and turned into Basara due to the influence of the Marathi language in the region. How ever, according to Brahmandapuranam, Adikavi Valmiki installed Saraswati and wrote Ramayana here. It is believed that this temple is one of the three temples constructed near the confluence of Manjira and Godavari rivers by Ashtrakutas. According to another school of thought Bijialudu a Karnataka king, who ruled the province of Nandagiri with Nanded as his capital in the sixth century, constructed the temple at Basara. The image of Lakshmi stands besides Goddess Saraswati in the sanctum sanctorum. Due to the presence of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali, Basara is considered as the abode of the divine trinity on the Bank of the River Godavari.

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Many pilgrims come to Basara to perform the "Akshara abhyasam" ceremony for the children before they start formal school education. The children perform the exercise of letters, and devote books, pens, pencils notebooks to the goddess of knowledge. The Puja at the temple starts at 4 am in morning with Abhishekam which carries on for an hour. At 5 o'clock they start the Alankarana whereby the new sarees are adorned to the goddesses. The whole atmosphere is very pious and pure. At 6 am, in the rays of the morning sun, the aarti starts at the temple after which the prasadam is given to the devotees.

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B

Steps leading to River Godavari

Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU

Huge Idol representing the temple at BASARA

Lecturer Amar Viplow.B Student: KaluriDayakar 1003004 Barch (ptdc) JNAFAU