HYDERABAD: After 10 days of traditional celebrations and worship of Goddess Mahankali, the annual Bonalu festival concluded in the Old City on Monday evening with a colourful procession followed by immersion of ghatams on the banks of River Musi, Nayapuul, Chaderghat amidst a constant drizzle.
The Mahankali Jatara was taken out on well-decorated elephant, Sudha, carrying Goddess Mahankali’s ghatam belonging to the Akkanna Madanna Temple of Hari Bowli, Shah Ali Banda.
The procession was inaugurated by advisor to the Telangana State Government, K V Ramanachary in the presence of Hyderabad Police Commissioner, Anjani Kumar. Minister for Animal Husbandry, T Srinivas Yadav also participated in the procession.
Earlier in the day, Rangam was held at Akkanna Madanna Temple by oracle-teller, Anuradha. She predicted that the State will face scanty rainfall because of the sins committed by the people and asked to perform poojas and offer Bonalu for good rains.
All along the procession, devotees chanted ‘Jai Mata di’ and offered flowers and fruits to the deities. The grand procession passed off peacefully with the immersion of ghatams of different Mahankali temples in the River Musi.
Devotees lined up all along the Lal Darwaza-Shah Ali Banda, Charminar and Nayapul to witness the colourful convoy of ghatams.
En route the procession, various temple committees welcomed the procession by offering flowers. Cultural troupes and artistes performed programmes along the route, while youngsters danced to the drum beats.
Political leaders from various parties welcomed the procession at Charminar.