HYDERABAD: The annual Ashada Bonalu festivities have been low-key affairs in the last two years due to Covid-19 pandemic. To make up for that restricted celebrations of past two years, the State government is making all arrangements to hold the festivities on a grand manner this time around. This year’s festivities will begin on June 30 with offering of Bonam — cooked rice, curd with neem leaves in a decorated brass pot, to the deity at Goddess Jagadambika Temple atop the historical Golconda Fort.
The famous Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu celebrations at Secunderabad will take place on July 17 and Hyderabad, including Old City, on July 24. This year, the State government has earmarked `15 crore to spruce up around 3,000 Mahankali temples.
The schedule and other details of this year’s Bonalu were revealed after Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Endowments Minister Indrakaran Reddy, Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahender Reddy, Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi and MLAs from the city held a meeting with officials of various government departments, members of the Mahankali Temple Committees from Secunderabad and Hyderabad at the MCR HRD Institute here on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Talasani said: “Bonalu symbolises the culture of Telangana. We have been organising this festival in a grand manner over the years. The situation, however, was different in the last two years due to the Covid pandemic. But this year, the government is making all arrangements so that people can once again celebrate in grand style.”
“The GHMC could carry out road repairs and sanitation works in the vicinity of all temples. Special stages would be set up at various temples where cultural programmes will be organised,” he said and added that silk robes will be presented to the goddess at 26 temples on behalf of the State government. The Telangana government accorded Ashada Bonalu, which is celebrated to ward off diseases and usher in good health, peace and prosperity, a “State festival” status after the formation of the separate State in June 2014.