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The Gnana Saraswati Temple, one of the few temples dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, is located at:
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Answer: Option D — Basar, Telangana
Detailed Solution
The Sri Gnana Saraswati Temple is located at Basar (Basara), in the Nirmal district of Telangana, on the banks of the Godavari river.
About the Gnana Saraswati Temple:
- It is one of the most famous temples in India dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning, knowledge, music and arts.
- The temple also has shrines of Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Kali (Mahakali), so the three goddesses are worshipped together.
According to legend, the sage Vyasa (Veda Vyasa), the author of the Mahabharata, came here after the Kurukshetra war seeking peace, and installed the images of the goddesses, made from sand. The place was therefore called "Vasara", which later became "Basara".
Another legend says that the temple was built by the Rashtrakuta king Bijialudu in the 6th century.
The "Aksharabhyasam" ceremony:
Parents bring young children to the temple for "Aksharabhyasam" (or "Vidyarambham"), the ceremony of beginning their education. The child writes the first letters, usually on rice or a slate, under the guidance of a priest.
The temple is especially crowded during "Vasant Panchami" (Saraswati's birthday) and the "Navaratri" festival (Sharad Navaratri), when Saraswati Puja is performed.
Other places associated with Saraswati:
- Sringeri Sharada Peetham (Karnataka): dedicated to Goddess Sharada (a form of Saraswati); one of the four mathas of Adi Shankaracharya.
- Kollur Mookambika Temple (Karnataka): dedicated to Mookambika (a form of Parvati), important for Vidyarambham.
- Panachikkadu Saraswati Temple (Kottayam, Kerala): known as "Dakshina Mookambika".
- Pushkar (Rajasthan): has a Saraswati temple near the Brahma Temple.
- Sharada Peeth (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir): an ancient temple and centre of learning; India has opened a "Sharada Temple" at Teetwal, Kupwara (2023), near the Line of Control.
About Basar and Telangana:
The "Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies" (RGUKT), also called IIIT Basar, is located here.
Other famous temples of Telangana:
Yadadri (Yadagirigutta) Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Bhadrachalam Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple, Thousand Pillar Temple, and Vemulawada Raja Rajeshwara Temple.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Sringeri is the seat of the Sharada Peetham.
- ✗Pushkar is famous for the Brahma Temple.
- ✗Kollur has the Mookambika Temple.
Quick tip
Remember: Gnana Saraswati Temple = Basar, Nirmal district, Telangana (on the Godavari; Vyasa legend; Aksharabhyasam for children); Sringeri = Sharada; Kollur = Mookambika; Panachikkadu = "Dakshina Mookambika".
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This topic covers India's important monuments, temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and pilgrimage sites, who built them and when, their architectural styles, and India's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Questions ask who built a monument, where it is located, or which dynasty or style it belongs to. For example, the Qutub Minar was begun by Qutbuddin Aibak, and the Sun Temple at Konark was built by the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva I. Revise the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a list, noting the most recent additions. Practise the monuments and religious places questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.