HYDERABAD: Barring Secunderabad, all Mahankali Temples in Hyderabad will celebrate Bonalu on a grand scale on August 1 and 2. Last year, low-key celebrations were held in the city due to the Covid-induced lockdown. The temples and their surroundings have been decorated with colourful lights and arches.
The main festivities will be held at the famous Lal Darwaza Mahankali Temple, the historic Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple at Hari Bowli, as well as several other temples in Gowlipura, Uppuguda, Aliabad, and Old City. High security will be put in place at all major Mahankali temples.
Ministers Indrakaran Reddy, Talasani Yadav and Mahmood Ali will offer Pattu Vastralu to the Goddess on behalf of the State government at the Lal Darwaza and Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temples on Sunday morning. The 11-day festival will conclude on August 2 with the oracle prediction, ie, Rangam at 1 pm at the Akkanna Madanna temple, followed by a procession led by a caparisoned elephant carrying the Ghatams of the Goddess.
The procession with the Mata Ghatams will be taken out during the afternoon hours and will pass through the main thoroughfares of Bela, Sudha Talkies, Nehru Statue, Lal Darwaza X Road, Shalibanda, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Pathargatti, and Madina, and reach the Mahankali temple at Musi river at Nayapul at around 7.30 pm.
An elephant named Laxmi from the Virupaksheshwara Temple in Hampi will participate in the procession at Sri Nalla Pochamma Devasthanam, Sabji Mandi, and Karwan on August 1, and at the Akkanna Madanna Temple on August 2. The temple committees will provide separate queues for women to enable them to offer Bonam containing cooked rice, jaggery, curd and neem leaves to the Goddess Mahankali in a hassle-free manner.