In Telangana, the three-day Vasantha Panchami festival began at the Gnana Saraswati temple at Basar in Nirmal District with pomp and glory. Thousands of people thronged the temple from early hours today. <br/><br/>The Basar Jnana Saraswathi temple in Niraml Districts of Telangana State is the second popular Saraswathi temples in the country after the one in Jammu Kashmir. People thronged the temple, which is located at about 200-kilometres from Hyderabad, from early hours today for performing Aksharabhyasam, the ritual in which parents make their wards to write their first alphabets in the presence of the goddess. <br/><br/>The occasion of Vasanth Panchami called also Shri Panchami is considered as most auspicious time. The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements as over 70 thousand devotees will come to the temple from Maharastra, Chhattisgarh besides far-flung areas in the two Telugu states Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. <br/><br/>The temple authorities celebrate the birthday of Goddess Saraswathi with priests conducting Mahabhishekam on the occasion. The temple has been beautifully illuminated as the "Maha haarathi" for the goddess will be performed on the occasion