Basar in Telangana’s Adilabad district could have been like any other small town found across the region. Situated close to the western bank of the Godavari as the river snakes along the Telangana-Maharashtra border, Basar’s claim to fame is a temple located at the foot of a small hill strewn with huge boulders. The Gnana Saraswati Temple is one of the few shrines in the country dedicated to the goddess of learning. The idol is believed to be made of sand and the face is smeared with haldi. Every June, thousands arrive with their children for the ritual of Aksharabhyasam — writing the first letter of the alphabet on slate and in a mound of rice. From the T-shirt-clad techie to the old farmer in a turban and dhoti — people from every background come here to seek blessings for their children gearing up for school life.
Pankaj Sekhsaria is a Hyderabad-based writer-photographer