Hyderabad: A festive atmosphere prevails in the Old City of Hyderabad on Sunday, the first day of the two-day Mahankali Bonalu festivities.
The day began with women clad in traditional and festive carrying ‘bonam’ and making offerings to the deity at the temples. Long queues were seen during the day break at all the major temples including Simhavahini Mahankali temple Lal Darwaza and Akkanna Madanna temple at Hari Bowli and other temples across the Old City.
Bonalu festival is considered by devotees as a form of thanksgiving to Goddess Kali for answering their prayers and fulfilling their wishes.
The term ‘Bonam’ is derived from ‘Bhojanam’, a Sanskrit word that translates to feast in Telugu. The festival involves women preparing rice with jaggery in new earthen pots, which are then adorned with turmeric, vermillion, and neem leaves.
A long serpentine queue was witnessed at Bhagya Lakshmi temple at Charminar where barricades were arranged to streamline the crowd.
The police made elaborate arrangements to ensure convenience and security for the people visiting the temples. Around 5,000 policemen were drafted for the Bonalu security arrangements in the city.
On Monday, a massive procession will be taken out marking the end of a two-day festival in the Old City. The procession will be led by a caparisoned elephant carrying a ghatam from Akkanna Madanna temple. Other small processions join with the main procession that will pass through Lal Darwaza, Nagulchinta, Shahalibanda, Charminar, Gulzar Houz, Madina Building and culminate at Nayapul temple.
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