Archive · 10 Aug 2026
Telangana govt performs Varuna Yagam seeking bountiful rains
There is a state in India called Telangana where it has not rained enough this year.
Because of this, the big rivers and water reservoirs are very low.
The government decided to hold a special prayer ceremony called the 'Varuna Yagam' to ask the rain god, Lord Varuna, for more rain.
Many priests are performing the ceremony at a big dam called Nagarjuna Sagar, where eleven fire pits have been set up for fire offerings.
The water minister and his wife went to the ceremony on Monday, and the Chief Minister planned to attend the closing part in the evening.
The biggest reservoir currently has less than half the water it had at the same time last year.
That is why people are worried about farms and drinking water.
The government also got advice from experts, who suggested helping farmers with water-saving drip irrigation and crops that can survive dry weather.
Some opposition leaders said prayers are fine, but the government should also take real steps to help farmers.
Everyone is hoping that the rains will come soon.
Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife, MLA N Padmavathi, took part in the Varuna Yagam on Monday at Nagarjuna Sagar in Nalgonda district.
As many as 108 priests (Ritwiks) are performing the yagam, for which 11 Homa Kundams (sacrificial fire pits) have been set up.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will attend the 'purnahuti' (concluding ceremony) of the yagam in the evening.
Nagarjuna Sagar holds 145.65 TMC against a gross storage capacity of 312.045 TMC - less than half of the roughly 310.25 TMC stored on August 9 last year.
BRS Working President K T Rama Rao said there is nothing wrong with conducting the yagam but urged concrete steps to aid farmers, claiming CM Revanth Reddy lacks understanding on irrigation.
- Who
- Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife N Padmavathi, along with priests and Vedic scholars of the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Yadagirigutta; Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will attend the concluding ceremony.
- What
- The 'Varuna Yagam', a ritual worship of Lord Varuna, seeking abundant monsoon rains and adequate inflows into reservoirs in the Krishna and Godavari river basins.
- When
- On Monday, midway through the southwest monsoon season and into the second week of August; the government announced the ceremony on Sunday, August 9.
- Where
- Nagarjuna Sagar project on the banks of the Krishna river, Nalgonda district, Telangana.
- Why
- Deficit rainfall and the spectre of El Niño have left reservoirs critically low, so the ritual seeks abundant rains to secure water for reservoirs and irrigation.
Government view
Opposition (BRS) view
Responding to the rainfall deficit
Government view
Conducting the Varuna Yagam to invoke abundant rains, while an expert committee appointed on July 30 suggested subsidies for drip and sprinkler irrigation and promoting drought-tolerant crops to minimise the adverse impact of El Niño and deficit rainfall.
Opposition (BRS) view
K T Rama Rao says there is nothing wrong with conducting a 'Yagam', but the government should take concrete steps to provide relief to farmers, and he claims CM Revanth Reddy lacks understanding on irrigation.
- Event
- Varuna Yagam (rain-seeking ritual worship of Lord Varuna)
- Purpose
- Seeking abundant rains and adequate inflows into Krishna and Godavari river basin reservoirs
- Location
- Nagarjuna Sagar project, Nalgonda district, Telangana, on the banks of the Krishna river
- Ritual details
- 108 Ritwiks (priests); 11 Homa Kundams (sacrificial fire pits)
- Performing temple
- Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, Yadagirigutta
- Current storage
- 145.65 TMC against gross capacity of 312.045 TMC
- Current water level
- Around 518 feet vs Full Reservoir Level of 590 feet
- Storage a year earlier
- Approximately 310.25 TMC at 589.40 feet on August 9 last year
