Devotees throng Saraswathi temple

Secunderabad: Devotees thronged in large numbers to the Sri Gnana Saraswathi Temple, Musheerabad on Monday to perform the Akshara Abhyaasam or Vidyaarambham ceremony. People believe that the Akshara Abhyaasam is a religious function where a child is given initiation of education. Krishna Rao, branch head, Gnana Saraswati Temple said, “The ceremony is performed by the family and the uncle – maternal or paternal – is the one who keeps the child on his lap holding the child’s right-hand forefinger and making the child write the letters.

He added that in normal days, around 500 devotees indulge in the Akshara Abhyaasam rituals and now on the eve of Dasara, the count is doubled. Surprisingly, people who have done ‘Akshara Abhyaasam’ earlier also come for the second time to get the blessings of the goddess during Navratri days. Many devotees along with family members were seen offering archanas, abhishekams and performing homams. Krishna Rao informed that the temple would perform five homams every month including Lakshmi, Ganapathi, Saraswathi, Rudra and Chandi.

Temple in-charge Venkateshwarlu said that people attend the temple in large numbers on the two occasions i.e. on Dasara and Sri Panchami in March. A devotee, Madhu, a resident of Musheerabad, who came along with his family members to conduct his niece’s Akshara Abyaasam ceremony, said, “We are happy to conduct my niece Priyanka’s function during the holy Navratri days. We came at 9 am to the temple and due to the heavy rush, it took us 3-hours to complete the formalities.”

Another devotee, Raghuram said that he came all the way from Medchal to perform the Akshara Abyaasam for his daughter, Shashikala. “This temple becomes a sentiment for my family members as most of our functions are celebrated after the blessings of the goddess Saraswathi,” he added.

BY V Sateesh Reddy