3 weeks ago
Hyderabad Soaks in Bonalu Spirit as Lakhs Throng Mahankali Temples
In Hyderabad, a big city in India, lots of people celebrated a special festival called Bonalu.
The festival is for a goddess named Mahankali.
Women wore beautiful traditional clothes and walked barefoot to temples.
They carried pots with cooked rice, jaggery, curd and neem leaves as a special offering, called Bonam.
The most popular temple was in a place called Lal Darwaza, where the festival has been celebrated for 118 years.
Government leaders also came to pray and gave golden gifts to the goddess.
The tradition began more than 150 years ago during a cholera outbreak, when people believed the goddess was angry.
Offering Bonalu was their way of making her happy.
Many police officers, cameras and drones were there to keep everyone safe.
The festival ends with a fortune-telling ceremony and a big parade with an elephant.
Lakhs of devotees thronged Mahankali temples across Hyderabad on Sunday as the annual Bonalu festival was celebrated on the last Sunday of Ashadam.
Thousands of women carried Bonam barefoot in traditional attire, offering cooked rice, jaggery, curd and neem leaves to the Goddess.
The Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Devalayam at Lal Darwaza was the major attraction, marking its 118th year of Bonalu.
Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha offered Bangaru Bonam and silk robes on behalf of the state government, which sanctioned Rs 20 crore for the celebrations.
Security included AI-enabled cameras, drones, additional CCTV, and around 2,400 police personnel deployed in two shifts for 48 hours, with Rangam scheduled for 1 pm Monday.
- Who
- Lakhs of devotees, thousands of women carrying Bonam, ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha, and leaders from BJP, BRS and Congress parties
- What
- The annual Bonalu festival, featuring offerings of Bonam and Bangaru Bonam to Goddess Mahankali at temples across Hyderabad
- Where
- Hyderabad, Telangana, India, centred on the Old City and the Lal Darwaza temple
- When
- Sunday, the last Sunday of Ashadam, with concluding Rangam and procession events taking place on Monday
- Why
- A tradition believed to have originated more than 150 years ago after a cholera outbreak, when people offered Bonalu to appease Goddess Mahankali
Key facts
- Festival
- Bonalu
- Location
- Hyderabad, Telangana, India
- Main venue
- Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Devalayam, Lal Darwaza
- Edition at Lal Darwaza
- 118th year
- State sanction
- Rs 20 crore
- Police deployed
- 2,400 personnel in two shifts over 48 hours
- Security measures
- AI-enabled cameras, drones and additional CCTV
- Concluding events
- Rangam at 1 pm Monday, followed by procession with Ammavari Ghatam on a decorated elephant
Sources
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