MLN MURTHY I BHUPALAPALLI

Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and his wife Sudha Dev Varma took a holy dip in the Saraswati Pushkara at Triveni Sangam on Sunday, marking the 11th day of the first-ever state-organized Pushkara celebrations. The couple performed rituals in accordance with scriptural traditions and later visited the renowned Sri Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy temple.

Arriving in Kaleshwaram by helicopter from Hyderabad at 11:02 am, the Governor and his wife received a ceremonial welcome from State IT Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu, District Collector Rahul Sharma, and SP Kiran Khare.

After the ritual dip, the couple had darshan of the single-stone Saraswati statue. At the temple premises, Endowments Department Director Venkat Rao welcomed them with traditional honors including Parivattam, Poorna Kumbha, and Mangala Vaiyadi. Special pujas were offered to the presiding deity, and the priests blessed the Governor and his wife, presenting them with laddu prasadam, sugar pongali, white clothes, and a memento of the goddess.

Minister Sridhar Babu briefed the Governor on the ongoing evening Saraswati Navaratna Mala Aarti program. The Governor later inspected the arrangements at the Pushkara ghats and expressed satisfaction over the smooth conduct of the event. He appreciated the district administration’s efforts in ensuring that no devotee faced inconvenience.

Speaking to the media, the Governor praised the grandeur and spiritual ambiance of the Pushkaras, which have been continuing for 11 days. He urged the public to participate and take a sacred bath during the remaining days of the festival.

A large number of devotees and officials were present at the event, which continues to draw crowds from across the state.