Telangana Mobilises for Saraswati Pushkaralu Festival at Kaleshwaram Temple

Hyderabad: State administration has stepped up readiness efforts for the Saraswati Pushkaralu Kaleshwaram festival, which will run from May 21 through June 1, with projections indicating between 30 and 40 lakh pilgrims will participate.

Ministers Konda Surekha and Duddilla Sridhar Babu outlined these expectations at a comprehensive review meeting held Friday at the Secretariat, chaired by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao. The gathering brought together senior officials including Endowments Department Principal Secretary Shailaja Ramaiyer, Energy Department Principal Secretary Navin Mittal, Women and Child Welfare Secretary Anita Ramachandran, Information Department Special Commissioner Mukund Reddy, and IG Chandrashekhar Reddy.

The festival will commence with an inauguration ceremony on May 21 at 5:43 am, when Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham seer Jagadguru Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati will perform the inaugural holy dip. The Governor is also scheduled to participate in the opening day's sacred bathing ceremony alongside the seer.

Minister Sridhar Babu emphasised the importance of inter-departmental coordination, directing officials to prioritise temple access management, cleanliness at Pushkar ghats, vehicular flow control, and comprehensive security protocols. Minister Surekha indicated the government intends to model the festival's execution on the successful Medaram Jatara, with prominent spiritual leaders from various peethams attending throughout the fortnight. The event will feature daily morning rituals, evening cultural shows, boat processions, and large-scale ancestral oblation ceremonies.

The scale of this festival represents a significant expansion from previous events. When Saraswati Pushkaralu was held in 2012, approximately two lakh devotees attended. By contrast, the Adi Pushkaralu last year drew close to 40 lakh participants, indicating the growing magnitude of such gatherings.

Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao has mandated strengthened infrastructure development across multiple domains. Officials will establish guest accommodations, a 100-room choultry facility, temporary structures at ghats, and comprehensive public address systems. The Transport Department will create temporary bus terminals and operate shuttle services to facilitate pilgrim movement.

Water supply and sanitation will be overseen by the Rural Water Supply Department, which will deploy drinking water systems, temporary sanitation facilities, and waste management infrastructure. The Health Department will position medical camps, ambulances, and emergency response teams throughout the 12-day period. Police authorities are establishing parking zones, distributing route guidance, installing CCTV monitoring, constructing observation posts, ensuring mobile network coverage, and deploying security personnel.

A notable addition to the festival will be a specially constructed museum. The Endowments Commissioner Hanumantha Rao confirmed all logistical arrangements are progressing on schedule to accommodate the anticipated pilgrim numbers.