HYDERABAD: Entire Secunderabad wore a festive look on the occasion of Bonalu as thousands of devotees thronged the famed Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple and several other Mahankali temples on Sunday.
As part of ongoing Bonalu celebrations, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao offered prayers to Goddess Mahankali at Ujjaini Mahankali temple and performed special pujas.
Lashkar Bonalu began on Sunday and a large number of devotees, especially women, dressed in their traditional attire carried 'bonams' (a pot carrying rice, turmeric powder, jaggery, milk and curd covered with neem leaves with a lamp placed on it) on their heads to Goddess Mahankali and other Goddesses at various temples in Secunderabad.
Potharajus carrying whips in hands with Ghatams were seen everywhere.
All the Mahankali temples were decked up with special illumination, buntings and festoons for the festival.
Devotees from surrounding districts including Rangareddy, Medak and Mahaboobnagar too visited the temple and offered prayers.
Separate queues were made for the convenience of devotees carrying bonalu as well as for handicapped and aged persons at the Ujjaini Mahankali temple.
The festival will conclude on Monday with 'Rangam' (predicting the future for next one year) by a young unmarried woman at 9 am, followed by a colourful procession of the goddess on an elephant at around 11 am.
Police made elaborate security arrangements to ensure peaceful and hassle-free conduct of the festival.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy said 3,000 police personnel were deployed. Police also installed more than 125 surveillance cameras to keep a vigil during the celebrations.