Warangal (Bhupalpally): After 43 years, the Sri Mukteswara Swamy temple in Kaleshwaram, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, will host the Maha Kumbabhishekam from February 7-9. Orders from the endowment department have paved the way for this grand celebration, which follows the last ceremonies in 1982 conducted by the then Shrungeri Peetadhipatis.
In a recent meeting, endowment minister Konda Surekha and IT minister D. Sridhar Babu directed temple officials and priests to ensure elaborate preparations for the event. The ceremony will follow guidelines issued by the Sringeri Peetadhipathi and be led by Raja Mahendravaram Tuni Tapovanam Ashram Peetadhipathi Sri Sri Sri Sachidananda Saraswati Swami’s team.
Adjacent temples, including those dedicated to Saraswati Devi, Shubananda Devi, Rajagopuram, Sangameshwara, Dattatreya, and others, are also planning related rituals. The temple authorities have widely publicised the events through posters, pamphlets, and invitations extended to prominent political figures.
Special prasads such as Puli Hora and laddus will be distributed, and an Annadana programme is scheduled from 1 pm to 4 pm throughout the three-day event. In anticipation of large crowds from Telangana as well as neighbouring Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, RTC officials have arranged special bus services.
Additional events, including the Maha Shivaratri Jatara on February 26 and Saraswati Pushkaralu from May 15-26, are also in the pipeline. Ministers have instructed endowment department principal secretary Shailaja Ramayyar and commissioner Sridhar to facilitate essential amenities, including bathing ghats, road widening, and drainage improvements, to ensure smooth proceedings.
Temple executive officer S. Mahesh confirmed that review meetings and key discussions have been held to prepare for the influx of devotees. Invitations have been extended to the head of the Sringeri Peetham, and progress on the Goddess Saraswati Mata statue in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, is underway.