Thousands Celebrate Bonalu Festival at Hari Bowli and Lal Darwaza
Thousands of devotees thronged temples across Hyderabad's Old City, including the historic Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple at Hari Bowli and Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Temple at Lal Darwaza, as the Bonalu festival was celebrated on a grand scale on Sunday. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy, and several other political leaders extended greetings to the public and offered prayers during the annual celebrations.
Women devotees turned out in large numbers to offer 'bonam', a traditional preparation of rice cooked with milk and jaggery, to the goddess. As part of the ritual, women prepared the offerings in new earthen or brass pots decorated with neem leaves, turmeric, and vermilion. They carried the pots on their heads to the temples, presenting them along with bangles and sarees as thanksgiving for the fulfilment of vows.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy extended his wishes to the people of the state, describing Bonalu as a symbol of Telangana's culture and tradition. In a post shared by the Chief Minister's Office, Revanth Reddy prayed that Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Ammavaru of Lal Darwaza would bless every family with prosperity and well-being. He also wished for peace, harmony, and prosperity among the people while urging them to celebrate the festival with devotion and faith.
Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy offered prayers at different temples across the city. In a post on social media, Kishan Reddy stated that he prayed for peace, prosperity, happiness, and good health for everyone, as well as the continued well-being of all.
Several other prominent leaders also joined the festivities by visiting local temples. Telangana Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Konda Surekha, and Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka), along with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and other Congress leaders, visited temples to offer prayers. Bharat Rashtra Samithi Working President K T Rama Rao, Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao, and actor Vijay Deverakonda were also among those who offered prayers.
Bonalu is an annual festival celebrated across the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, as well as other parts of Telangana, dedicated to the worship of Goddess Mahankali and her various forms. To ensure the smooth conduct of the festival and safeguard devotees, police made elaborate security arrangements and imposed traffic restrictions in several parts of the city during the processions.
