HYDERABAD: The Lal Darwaza Bonalu festival in the Old City of Hyderabad was celebrated in a grand manner on Sunday, with a large number of devotees and political leaders flocking to the Simhavahini Mahankali temple and Akkanna Madanna temple.
Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, on behalf of the government, presented silk clothes to Goddess Mahankali. He expressed his hope that the grace and blessings of the goddess would bring prosperity to everyone’s lives.
Various political leaders and dignitaries including TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Indra Karan Reddy, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Dr Laxman, former cricketer Mithali Raj, and Telangana Health Director Srinivasa Rao visited the temple to offer their prayers.
Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan also participated in the Ashadamasam Bonalu celebrations at the Raj Bhavan temple. She offered traditional bonam to the presiding deity, Nalla Pochamma and performed the puja, praying for the prosperity, development, and well-being of the nation and Telangana.
Lal Darwaza Bonalu is one of the prominent Bonalu celebrations in Hyderabad, dedicated to the goddess Mahankali. Apart from the Simhavahini Mahankali Temple, Bonalu festivities were held at 23 other temples in the Old City.
Devotees gathered to offer prayers and make offerings to the goddess Mahankali, seeking her blessings and protection. They performed various rituals with great enthusiasm and devotion. Both men and women dressed in traditional attire carried Bonams and participated in the procession.
The procession was accompanied by traditional music, drum beats, Pothurajus, and women carrying bonams on their heads, showcasing the vibrant cultural heritage of Telangana.To ensure safety, police monitored temple premises and surrounding regions through CCTV cameras, and special arrangements were made at Mahankali Temple, Akkanna Madanna, Jiyaguda Sabji Mandi, Karwan Darbar Maisamma, Golconda, and other historical temples.
The month-long Bonalu celebrations in Hyderabad and Secunderabad began with the Golconda Mahankali Bonalu. The Utsava Murthy (processional idol) of the goddess was taken in a grand procession to the Golconda Fort. On Monday, a procession will be organised to the River Musi, where Bonams will be immersed, marking the festival’s conclusion.The festival not only showcases the rich cultural heritage of Telangana but also reflects the deep devotion of the people towards the goddess Mahakali.
Chikoti’s armed security try to enter temple, arrested Hyderabad: Amidst ongoing Bonalu celebrations at Lal Darwaza, private security personnel escorting Chikoti Praveen, known for his involvement in gambling and casinos, attempted to enter a Mahankali temple with ‘unauthorised’ weapons, on Saturday. Police personnel deployed near the temple restrained Praveen and his bodyguards from entering the temple. Subsequently, the guards were detained by the Chatrinaka police.While it is suspected that the security personnel possessed firearms without proper documentation, the police have not yet clarified this matter. Speaking to TNIE, South Zone DCP Sai Chaitanya said a case will be registered under the Arms Act, and other relevant sections will also be imposed as necessary.