Addressing severe worries over sub-par monsoon rainfall across the state, the Telangana government has initiated a spiritual ceremony called 'Maha Varuna Yagna' on the banks of the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy along with his wife formally inaugurated the ritual aimed at invoking the blessings of Lord Varuna for abundant rains. The grand religious initiative seeks to replenish depleted water sources and ensure steady flows in key rivers powering the region's agricultural and civil water supply.
El Nino Uncertainty and Depleted Reservoirs
The state has been experiencing irregular monsoon activity, largely attributed to the global El Nino phenomenon. Consequently, major upstream reservoirs have failed to reach their normal capacity levels midway through the season. To counter the looming threat of water scarcity, the administration selected the Vijay Vihar Tourism Guest House campus at Nagarjuna Sagar as the venue for this special prayer ritual. Authorities hope the ceremony will bring favorable rains to fill the reservoirs and keep both the Krishna and Godavari river basins flowing smoothly.
108 Vedic Priests and 11 Sacrificial Altars
The religious event is being executed on a massive scale under the guidance of scholars and priests from the renowned Yadagirigutta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple. A total of 108 Vedic scholars and ritwiks are actively conducting the ceremony. A complex of 11 sacrificial fire altars, known as homa kundas, has been established at the location where sacred recitations and ritual offerings are being performed continuously to seek divine intervention.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's Visit Schedule
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is slated to preside over the auspicious 'Poornahuti' phase of the ritual. As detailed by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, the Chief Minister's schedule includes a departure from Hyderabad via helicopter at 2:00 PM. He is scheduled to land at the BC Residential School ground in Nagarjuna Sagar Hill Colony at 2:45 PM before making his way to the Vijay Vihar venue. The sacred Poornahuti ceremony is scheduled around 3:00 PM, with the specific auspicious time set for 3:24 PM on 10 August. Following the completion of the ceremony, the Chief Minister will board his return flight to Hyderabad at 4:00 PM.
