HYDERABAD: After last year’s low-key celebrations due to Covid-induced lockdown, thousands turned up to celebrate Bonalu at Mahankali temples situation across Hyderabad on Sunday, August 1, 2021. As dawn broke, lanes and bylanes of both Old City and other parts, brimmed with devotees erupting in joy as they danced their way towards temples, carrying Bonalu in colourful pots.
With pulsating drumbeats and folk songs reverberating throughout the city, devotees celebrated the festival with deep devotion and traditional gaiety, offering prayers and Bonalu, amidst tight police security.
In the Old City, Simhavahini Mahankali temple, Lal Darwaza, and the historic Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple and Hari Bowli in Shah Ali Banda witnessed a huge turnout of devotees, including Ministers, MPs, MLAs, political leaders and officials.
At Lal Darwaza and Akkanna Madanna temples, Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Indrakaran Reddy offered pattu vastralu (silk clothes) on behalf of the State government. Meanwhile, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, BJP leader Vijayashanthi, YSRTP president YS Sharmila offered prayers at different Mahankali temples in the city.
The day began with a large number of devotees, especially women dressed in their best traditional attire carrying ‘bonam’ -- a pot filled with rice, turmeric powder and curd, and covered with neem leaves and a lamp placed on it -- on their heads to at various temples across the city. With reverberating ‘teen maar’ drumbeats and Telugu folk songs, ‘potharajus’ and ‘ghatams’ led the festivities.
Rangam at 1 pm
Patron of Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandir in Hari Bowli, G Niranjan said that the 11-day festival will conclude on Monday with Rangam, oracle prediction, at 1 pm followed by a combined procession on a caparisoned elephant, carrying ‘ghatams’ of the Goddess Mahankali. The procession with ‘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’ Roads, Shalibanda, Charminar, Gulzar House, Pathargatti, Madina before reaching Mahankali Temple at Musi river at Nayapul around 7.30 pm.
The procession will be inaugurated by Advisor to State Government KV Ramanachary and Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar. Stating that devotees from other states are also participating in this year’s Bonalu, Minister Srinivas Yadav said: “For the first time, the State government provided funds to the temples on the occasion of Bonalu. The police department has also been working hard to ensure smooth conduct of festivities. More than 8,000 police personnel were deployed as part of security arrangements at various temples.”
Besides temples in the Old City, the Bonalu was also celebrated at Mahankali temples in Balkampet, Lower Tank Bund Road, Himayatnagar, Aliabad, Ameerpet, Punjagutta, Somajiguda, Khairatabad, Lakadi-ka-pul, MS Maktha, BS Maktha, Nampally, Public Gardens, Sultan Bazar, Koti, Begum Bazar, Amberpet, Musheerabad, Chikkadpally, Barkatpura, Kachiguda, Gowliguda, Chaderghat, Afzalgunj, Basheerbagh, Yousufguda, Sanathnagar, Jubilee Hills, Mehdipatnam, Masab Tank, Tolichowki, Golconda, Langer House, Karwan, Mangalhat, Dhoolpet, Uppuguda, Gowlipura, Aliabad, Bela and Mir Alam Mandi.