The 12-day ‘Antya Pushkaralu’ of the Saraswati’ river took off to a religious start in Kaleshwaram of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district on Thursday. 

Braving heatwave conditions, devotees from far and wide flocked to Kaleshwaram, the abode of Sri Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy, to participate in the religious event.

Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla along with his wife Janaki Shukla took a holy dip in the river at the Saraswati Ghat along the banks of the Triveni Sangamam later in the day.

Before the break of dawn, Sri Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Swami of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam performed special pujas and rituals at the Triveni Sangamam, where the subterranean Antarvahini Saraswati river joins the Godavari and the Pranahita rivers in Kaleshwaram, marking the beginning of the 12-day sacred event.

Minister for IT and Industries D. Sridhar Babu and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha were among those present.

The Governor inaugurated a museum set up at a cost of ₹1.20 crore in Kaleshwaram late on Thursday evening. The museum showcases the rich history and architectural heritage of Telangana.