Bonalu Fervour Grips Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Old City is set for Bonalu celebrations on Sunday, with prominent temples decked up and the state government making arrangements to offer silk clothes and ‘Bonam’ to the deities as part of the tradition.

Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said ministers and other leaders would present silk offerings at prominent temples as representatives of the state government. Government departments involved in the arrangements have held coordination meetings with temple authorities.

At Lal Darwaza Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Temple, ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha will participate in the celebrations. Minister Damodara Rajanarsimha will attend the festivies at the Karwan Sri Darbar Maisamma Temple.

Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandiram at Haribowli will hold its 78th Bonalu celebrations on Sunday. Maha Abhishekam will be performed early in the morning, followed by Special Alankaram, Archana and Maha Aarthi.

Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu will offer silk clothes and prayers to the goddess on behalf of the state government.

Vasanth Rao, one of the organisers at Ujjaini Mahankali Temple at Hanuman Tekdi, said the temple attracts several devotees, including north Indian families.

“The temple attracts a large number of devotees, including many north Indian families. We are the third generation of our family to organise the ‘Palaharam Bandi’ on the festival day. People still fondly recall the grand processions organised during our grandfather’s time,” he said.

Abhishek Adapa, a Bonalu organiser at Begumpet, said young people were increasingly participating in organising the festival.

“We used to celebrate Bonalu in London as part of the Telangana student community. After returning to Hyderabad, we joined other youngsters in organising the festival on a larger scale, involving the entire neighbourhood and promoting harmony and togetherness.”