Old City temples gear up for Hyderabad Bonalu festival

HYDERABAD: All Mahankali temples in Hyderabad, including those in the Old City, will celebrate the Bonalu festival on a grand scale on Sunday and Monday. The temples and their surroundings have been decorated with special lighting and colourful arches.

The main attractions will be the famous Lal Darwaza Mahankali temple and the historic Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple in Hari Bowli. Other prominent temples in Gowlipura, Uppuguda, Aliabad and several other locations in the city will also witness the festivities.

Ministers and other prominent political representatives will offer “Pattu Vastralu” (silk robes) to the Goddess on behalf of the state government at Lal Darwaza, Akkanna Madanna and other temples on Sunday. The temple committees are providing separate queues for women to offer ‘Bonam’, which contains cooked rice, jaggery, curd, and neem leaves, to Goddess Mahankali.

The festivities will conclude on Monday with the oracle prediction, known as Rangam, at 1 pm at Akkanna Madanna temple, Haribowli. This will be followed by a combined procession featuring a caparisoned elephant carrying the ‘Ghatams’ of Goddess Mahankali.

The procession with the Mata Ghatams will commence in the afternoon and will pass through key locations including Bela, Sudha Talkies, Nehru Statue, Lal Darwaza X Road, Shalibanda, Charminar, Gulzar House, Pathargatti, and Madina, eventually reaching the Mahankali temple by the Musi river in Nayapul by approximately 7.30 pm.

The Bonalu procession featuring the Mata Ghatam on a beautifully decorated elephant will be inaugurated by KV Ramanachary, adviser to the state government, and senior state officials.