Sri Saraswathi Devi Temple in Anantha Sagar , Medak & Ranganayaka Sagar Reservior in Siddipeta | Sai Media Works | SaiprasannaNakka

Saraswathi Kshetramu is a Hindu Temple of Goddess Saraswathi located in the Ananthasagar, Chinna Kodur Mandal, Siddipet Division, siddipet district of Telangana. The temple was built on Friday, 2 May 1980 (Roudri Year, Vaishakha month) by Astakala Narasimha Rama Sharma (Astavadhani). It is located between Siddipet to Karimnagar, 22 km away from the former, 125 km from Hyderabad and 63 km from Medak,

History

This temple was built by Astakala Narasimha Rama Sharma, a teacher by profession, who, determined not to rely on donations for its construction, used his money from his salary as an astrologer, Vaastu shastra expert, and groundwater locator. In the whole India finding Saraswathi temples is rare. First Saraswathi temple in India is Vaishnavi Temple is in Jammu & Kashmir. Second Temple is located in Basar, this temple is considered as third Saraswathi temple and is located in Shivaru mountains which comes under Ananthasagar village. This is the first temple having standing pose of Saraswathi.

Temple front view

Saraswati Puja is performed on the 5th day of Magha month of Vedic Calendar (also known as Basant Panchami).

As in several parts of India, and especially the South, Saraswati pujas are conducted during Navaratri – a 9 day long festival celebrating the power of the feminine aspect of divinity or shakti. The last three days of Navaratri starting from Mahalaya Amavasya (the New Moon day) are dedicated to the goddess.

Temple side view

On the ninth day of Navaratri (Mahanavami), especially Sharad Navaratri, books and musical instruments are ceremoniously placed before the image of Saraswathi early at dawn and she is worshipped with special prayers. No studies or any performance of arts is carried out, as it is considered that the Goddess herself is blessing the books and the instruments. The festival is concluded on the tenth day of Navaratri (Vijaya Dashami) and the goddess is worshipped again before the books and the musical instruments are removed. It is customary to study on this day, which is called Vidyarambham (literally, Commencement of Knowledge): students are traditionally required to revise much of what they have learnt up to that day, and also to start the study of something new. Gurus (preceptors) are worshipped on this day as embodiments of Saraswathi.

Ranganayaka Sagar 

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project(KLIP) is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpalpally, Telangana, India.^[2]Currently the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation project,^[3] its farthest upstream influence is at the confluence of the Pranhitaand Godavari rivers. The Pranahita River is itself a confluence of various smaller tributaries including the Wardha, Painganga, and Wainganga rivers which combine to form the seventh-largest drainage basin on the subcontinent, with an estimated annual discharge of more than 6,427,900 acre feet(7,930 cubic hectometres) or 280 TMC. It remains untapped as its course is principally through dense forests and other ecologically sensitive zones such as wildlife sanctuaries.

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project^[4][5]is divided into 7 links and 28 packages spanning a distance of approximately 500 km (310 mi) through 13 districts and utilizing a canal network of more than 1,800 km (1,100 mi).^[6] The project aims to produce a total of 240 TMC (195 from Medigadda Barrage, 20 from Sripada Yellampalli project and 25 from groundwater), of which 169 has been allocated for irrigation, 30 for Hyderabad municipal water, 16 for miscellaneous industrial uses and 10 for drinking water in nearby villages, with the remainder being estimated evaporation loss. The project aims at increasing total culturable command area (the sustainable area which can be irrigated after accounting for both upstream and downstream factors) by 1,825,000 acre⋅ft (2,251 hm³) across all 13 districts in addition to stabilizing the existing CCA.

On 21 June 2019, the project was opened by Telangana Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan and Chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. National Green Tribunal declared the Scheme is constructed without following the statuary provisions with regard to environmental aspects.^[7]

Four major pumping facilities manage the project's outflow, the largest at Ramadugu(Medaram, Annaram and Sundilla being the others) is also likely to be the largest in Asia once consistent measurements are available,^[8] requiring seven 140 MWh(500 GJ) pumps designed and manufactured specifically for the project by the BHEL.

Links & Irrigated Command Area/Ayacut (Acres)

• Link-I: From Medigadda Barrage on Godavari River to Sripada Yellampalli Project (30,000 acres)
• Link-II: From Sripada Yellampalli Project to Mid Manair Dam
• Link-III: From Mid Manair Dam to Upper Manair Reservoir (86,150 acres)
• Link-IV: From Upper Manair Dam to Konda Pochamma Reservoir (595,754 acres)
• Link-V: From Anicut to Chityala (243,500 acres)
• Link-VI: From Sri Komaravelli Mallanna Sagar to Singur Dam (280,296 acres)
• Link-VII: From SRSP Foreshore to Nizam Sagar Canals and to Dilawarpur and Hangarga village for Nirmal and Mudhole Constituency (590,000 acres)

Total: 1,825,700 acres (New ayacut) Apart from: 1,875,000+ acres (Stabilisation of existing ayacut)^{[clarification needed]}

Gravity Canals & Tunnels for distribution

1. Gravity Canal - 1,531 km

2. Gravity Tunnel - 203 km

3. Pressure Mains / Delivery Mains - 98 km

Link-I: From Medigadda Barrage on Godavari River to Sripada Yellampalli Project

Water will be reverse pumped from the confluence point of Godavari and Pranhita Rivers to Sripada Yellampalli Project with the help of 3 barrages (Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla) and 3 lifts.

As of June 2019, lifts are being commissioned with provision to lift 2 TMC (56,63,36,93,184 liters)^{[clarification needed]} of water per day from Medigadda. The water is lifted to backwaters of Annaram barrage. Again from Annaram barrage to Sundilla barrage. Finally from Sundilla to Sripada Yellampalli Project. Civil works are being executed to lift 3 TMC per day but pumps are being installed to lift only 2 TMC. If need be, only pumps would need to be installed to increase capacity by one more TMC.

Link-II: From Sripada Yellampalli Project to Mid Manair Dam

A new balancing reservoir is also being proposed in the outskirts of Hyderabad of 20–30 TMC to store water. The water will be supplied to this balancing reservoir in the same link.

Link-V: From Anicut to Chityala

From Anicut, a series of gravity canals and a small tunnel of 1.2 km are planned to transfer water to Gandamalla Reservoir and Baswapuram Reservoir. Thereafter, gravity canals are planned towards Chityal Mandal and its villages.

Link-VI: From Sri Komaravelli Mallanna Sagar to Singur Dam

From Sri Komaravelli Mallanna Sagar, another sequence of gravity canals, tunnels and lifts are used to transfer water to Singur Dam. Apart from that, if need be, water can be transferred to Nizam Sagar Project and from there, to SRSP.

Link-VII: From SRSP Foreshore to Nizam Sagar Canals and to Dilwapur and Hangarga village for Nirmal and Mudhole Constituency

From the foreshore waters of SRSP, water will be transferred to reservoirs at Hangarga and Dilwapur villages. Apart from this, existing reservoirs like Masani Tank and kondem Cheruvu will also be linked. Canals under Nizam Sagar will also be irrigated.

Environmental law violations

In October 2020, the National Green Tribunal, India's court for environmental issues, directed the Telangana government to halt work on the KLIP except the drinking water supply component. A petition had been filed by a farmer from Siddipet district, whose land was affected by the KLIP. The National Green Tribunal found, on hearing his petition, that the environmental clearances for the KLIP had not been obtained before the project, as is required by law, but had been granted by the Union Government of India after work on the project had already begun by the Telangana government. The National Green Tribunal has directed the Indian government's Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to constitute a committee to investigate the illegally granted clearances, and to file a report with them within six months.