Hyderabad – Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to launch the Saraswati Pushkaralu festival at Saraswati Ghat, located at Triveni Sangam in Kaleshwaram, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, on Thursday.
After the official opening, the Chief Minister will take a ritual bath at the sacred confluence, joined by several state ministers. The Endowments Department has prepared large-scale arrangements for this spiritual event, which occurs only once every 12 years.
The holy bathing ritual, known as Pushkar Snanam, begins at 5:44 a.m. on Thursday. The inaugural prayer, or Sankalpa, will be led by Madhavananda Saraswati Swamiji of Toguta Ashram. Daily Yagas (sacred fire rituals) will follow from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A special devotional ceremony called Saraswati Navratna Malaharati will take place each morning from 6:45 a.m. to 7:35 a.m. at Saraswati Ghat.
To accommodate pilgrims, a temporary tent city has been set up near the bathing area. In the evenings, visitors can enjoy traditional art and cultural performances.
The Saraswati River is believed to be an Antarvahini—a hidden or invisible river—flowing beneath the Triveni Sangam. The Saraswati Maha Pushkaralu begins when the planet Jupiter (Guru) enters the Gemini zodiac sign. This transition happened at 10:35 p.m. on May 14.
According to Hindu Sanatana Dharma, Pushkaralu is a deeply spiritual event. It honors the life-giving power of water and is believed to offer spiritual purification and a path to salvation. Each year, as Jupiter moves into a new zodiac sign, a different river is celebrated through Pushkaralu. When Jupiter enters Gemini, the focus shifts to the Saraswati River.
Ancient scriptures like the Kaleshwara Khandam mention that the Saraswati River emerges at the meeting point of two living forces. This makes the location of the Pushkaralu—Kaleshwaram Triveni Sangam—especially sacred.
The 12-day spiritual event invites devotees from across India to participate in rituals, seek blessings, and celebrate the sanctity of India’s rivers.
