Hyderabad: The prestigious Bonalu in the old city of Hyderabad took off on a colourful note here on Sunday with temples wearing a festive look for the annual festivities. Devotees started pouring into the temples from early hours with Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Temple being the centre of celebrations with devotees converging in large numbers here.
Since the dawn, women devotees started turning up in large numbers to offer ‘bonam’ to Mother Goddess. The star attraction happens to be the ‘potharajus’ coming in small processions from nearby areas and converging at the temples that have been decorated for the occasion.
Endowments Indrakaran Reddy offered Pattu Vastrams to Ammavaru on behalf of State government. Home Minister Mahmood Ali and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav had a darshan of the Goddess. Indrakaran Reddy said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has offered State festival status to Bonalu being celebrated in a big way. He said elaborate arrangements have been made for the festivities and with the goddess’s blessings the State hopes to get more rains. Intermittent rainfall failed to dampen the festive spirit. Several politicians, film actors, sports persons and officials of various government departments are also visiting the temples.
The police made elaborate security arrangements by deploying Rapid Action Force, Telangana State Special Police and civil police. (NSS)
