Bonalu 2026: Twin Cities Set For Month‑Long Festival

HYDERABAD: The city is set to celebrate Ashada Bonalu, the major festival dedicated to Goddess Mahankali, beginning at Golconda on July 16. The celebrations will continue through the month, with key events at Old City temples and the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad.

At a coordination meeting held at Golconda fort, endowments minister Konda Surekha directed officials from various departments to work in close coordination for the smooth conduct of the festival that concludes on August 13. She unveiled the Bonalu poster and brochure.

The festival will feature rituals, processions and offerings expected to draw large crowds. In Secunderabad, the main Bonalu and presentation of silk cloth by the government are scheduled for August 2, followed by Rangam and the traditional elephant procession on August 3.

Officials have been instructed to complete all arrangements in advance for traffic management, queue lines, barricades, parking, drinking water, sanitation, electricity, medical services, fire safety and special buses. Special attention has also been asked for the July 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 and August 2, 6, 9 and 13 ceremonies.

She emphasised cleanliness in and around temple premises and ordered mobile toilets, drinking water points, medical camps and continuous 108 ambulance services. Departments have been asked to ensure that roads, steps, streetlights, high‑mast lights, signboards and sheds in the Golconda Fort area are ready ahead of time, while the Endowments Department should make special arrangements for smooth darshan.

GHMC has been told to follow strict timelines, while the electricity department has been asked to take extra care with wiring and current connections. She also said special attention must be given to children, the elderly, pregnant women and adolescents.