Basar Saraswati Temple

Getting there

• By train

  Basar (BSX) is the nearest railway station, about 2.4 km from the temple.

• By road

  District buses run by TSRTC serve the town. MSRTC buses also run from Hyderabad and Nanded.

Why devotees come here

Basar Saraswati Temple is a Hindu temple of Devi Saraswati on the banks of the Godavari river, in Basara, Telangana. It is counted among the two most famous Saraswati shrines in India, the other being Sharada Peeth. Basara is about 70 km from Nirmal, the district headquarters.

The temple is dedicated to Devi Saraswati and stands on the banks of the Godavari river. The image of Devi Lakshmi stands beside Saraswati in the sanctum. The temple is counted among the two famous Saraswati shrines of the subcontinent, with Sharada Peeth as the other.

Legend says Maharishi Vyasa spent considerable time in prayer here. The place was first called Vasara, and the name later changed to Basara under the influence of the Marathi language.

Bijialudu, a Karnataka king who ruled Nandagiri with Nanded as his capital, is said to have built the temple in the sixth century. In the 17th century, a chieftain of Nandagiri reinstated the idols after earlier destruction by invaders. A Mahakali idol sits on the first floor, very near the main temple.

Festivals

• Poojas begin 15 days before Vasantha Panchami and continue 3 days after the festivalMaha Shivaratri

  Special poojas and celebrations are held at the temple throughout this period.

• Ten days during DasaraDevi Navarathrulu

  The festival is celebrated at the temple for ten days during Dasara.

Tips for your visit

• From Nizamabad the town is about 34.8 km away, and from Bhainsa about 30 km.
• From Dharmabad the town is about 15.5 km away.
• Many parents bring young children here for the Akshara abhyasam ceremony before school.

Questions people ask