Pearls, Floods and the Nizam’s Faith - The Untold Story of Lal Darwaza Bonalu

Hyderabad:As the historic Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Temple at Lal Darwaza prepares for its 118th Bonalu celebrations on Sunday, a lesser-known chapter of Hyderabad’s history is coming to the fore — the temple’s links with the city’s pearl trade and its association with the catastrophic Musi floods of 1908.

While the origins of Bonalu at the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple are traced to the cholera epidemic of 1813, the Lal Darwaza Bonalu tradition began under different circumstances.

When the Musi River breached its embankments, flooding large parts of Hyderabad and claiming thousands of lives in 1908, noted historian P Krishna Reddy said the floodwaters reportedly reached areas around the Charminar and Shah Ali Banda.

“As diseases began spreading in the aftermath, the Sixth Nizam, Mir Mahbub Ali Khan, sought divine intervention. His Prime Minister, Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad, is said to have advised him to offer a bonam to Goddess Mahankali at the Lal Darwaza temple, in keeping with Hindu tradition.”

“As part of the ritual, the Nizam directed that the bonam be offered along with natural pearls in a silver ‘chata’ (winnowing plate). The pearls were later immersed in the Musi river,” said Krishna Reddy. After the ritual, he said the floodwaters receded, making the bonam an annual tradition at the temple.

The offering is also believed to have had an unexpected economic consequence. Historical accounts suggest that the first pearl offering to Mahankali encouraged several jewellers to establish shops around the Charminar. Over time, the temple’s association with pearls was credited with contributing to the growth of Hyderabad’s iconic pearl trade in the Old City.

The Nizam’s patronage further strengthened the temple’s religious and cultural importance. Mir Mahbub Ali Khan is said to have extended financial assistance and land grants to the temple and several others.

He also visited the Lal Darwaza temple and offered sarees, gold bangles and a jewel-studded tilak to the deity. The royal support helped establish the temple as an important centre of religious and cultural activity in the Old City, which reflects the syncretic cultural character of Hyderabad during that period.

The Lal Darwaza Bonalu tradition began during the Nizam’s rule around 1907-08, and this year marks approximately 118 years of uninterrupted observance. Animal sacrifice was part of Bonalu practices in the past. However, the practice was discontinued at the temple in 1953, and pumpkins are now offered to the deity instead.