Hyderabad: Religious fervour, gaiety mark last Sunday of Bonalu festival

Hyderabad: The last Sunday of the Bonalu festival was celebrated with much fervour across the city, at all the main temples including the Lal Darwaza Temple in the Old City, and the Maisamma Temple in Marredpally, Secunderabad, as people came in carrying their bonam.

Though there was a short spell of rain, it did not dampen the spirit of the devotees who came well prepared with umbrellas apart from their bonum (a mix of jaggery curd and rice in a pot). The annual state festival was celebrated across the city on all the Sundays starting from July 7.

Lakhs of devotees came to one of the most prominent temples in the old city, the Lal Darwaja Simhavahini Mahankali temple, which is more than 100 years old. Devotees came from the neighbouring states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka as well.

Actress Poonam Kaur at the Simhavahini Mahakali temple at Lal Darwaza.

Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Deputy Speaker T. Padma Rao, Congress leader Vijayshanthi and other politicians came to have the darshan of the goddess at the old city bonalu.

Sports person P.V. Sindhu came carrying bonum along with her family. Many devotees started taking selfies with the ace badminton player. The old city bonalu is celebrated every year in the last week of the Ashada Masam.

On the same day, there was also Shanti Kalyanam praying for the peace of the public at 8 pm in the evening. The temple officials said that there would be Rangam on Monday, which would be recited by Rangam Anuradha, like every year.

Marredpally Sri Sri Devi Maisamma Bonalu also kick started on Sunday, which is also a two day fest and will end on Monday with Polarum Bandi procession.

Many nearby temples in Secunderabad also saw huge crowds of devotees.

Police personnel and traffic cops were deployed at all the important temple locations, wherever the crowd of devotees was large.