Hyderabad, 09 August (H.S.): Bonalu, one of Telangana’s major traditional festivals, was celebrated with religious fervour across Hyderabad on Sunday, with thousands of devotees visiting temples in the city’s Old City to offer prayers to Goddess Mahankali.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy extended greetings to people on the occasion and prayed for peace, prosperity, happiness and harmony across the state. He also urged people to observe the festival with devotion and faith.

The Chief Minister expressed the hope that Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Ammavaru at Lal Darwaza would bless every family with prosperity and well-being.

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar also visited temples in Hyderabad and offered prayers. Kishan Reddy prayed for peace, prosperity, happiness and good health for the people.

Several Telangana ministers and political leaders also participated in the celebrations. Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Konda Surekha and Dansari Anasuya, popularly known as Seethakka, visited temples and offered prayers. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and other Congress leaders also took part in the festivities.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi Working President K. T. Rama Rao, Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao and actor Vijay Deverakonda were among those who visited temples and sought the blessings of the goddess.

Major temples, including the historic Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple at Hari Bowli and Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Temple at Lal Darwaza, witnessed a large gathering of devotees throughout the day.

Women devotees were seen carrying ‘bonam’, the traditional offering prepared with rice, milk and jaggery, to temples. As part of the customary ritual, the offerings are prepared in new earthen or brass pots decorated with neem leaves, turmeric and vermilion. Women carry these decorated pots on their heads and present them to the goddess along with traditional offerings such as bangles and sarees.

Bonalu is an annual festival celebrated primarily in Hyderabad, Secunderabad and several other parts of Telangana as an expression of gratitude to Goddess Mahankali. Devotees worship different forms of the goddess and offer prayers seeking protection, health and prosperity for their families and communities.

The celebrations were accompanied by traditional processions and religious rituals across the city. In view of the large gatherings and processions, Hyderabad Police made extensive security arrangements and introduced traffic restrictions at several locations to ensure the smooth conduct of the festivities.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar