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New Indian Express
14-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Secunderabad streets soak in Bonalu spirit
HYDERABAD: The lanes of Secunderabad transformed into a vibrant canvas of devotion and tradition on Sunday as the two-day grand Lashkar Bonalu celebrations began at the historic Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Temple. With the sun beating down harshly, thousands of devotees — young and old — braved the heat to offer prayers and take part in one of Telangana's most significant folk festivals. From early morning at 3 am, hundreds of women, draped in bright traditional sarees and adorned with flowers, made their way through the crowded streets carrying Bonams — decorated clay pots filled with rice, jaggery, curd, turmeric, and neem leaves, with a small lit lamp on top of their heads. Local devotees expressed their emotional connection to the festival. Rupa Sarath, from Uppal, said, 'I have been coming here for 15 years. No matter how hot it gets, offering a Bonam gives me peace.' Ruthika, a young woman from Bholakpur, said, 'It's part of my life since childhood. We've grown up coming to Bonalu. Even the heat can't stop us.' Eventually, as the sun set, the streets grew busier and livelier. Potharajus, the traditional guardians of the goddess, danced to drumbeats, covered in turmeric and striking their whips, creating energy in the crowd. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy visited the temple to offer pattu vastralu (silk clothes) to the goddess and participated in special pujas. He was welcomed with a traditional Poornakumbham by temple priests and greeted by devotees. Accompanying him were Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Konda Surekha, Danasari Anasuya, and CM's Advisor Vem Narender Reddy.
Hans India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Thousands throng Mahankali temple as Sec'bad sways to Bonalu beats
Hyderabad: Thousands of devotees including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, and several political leaders thronged to Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple on the occasion of Lashkar Bonalu Jatara on Sunday. The Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, MP Anil Kumar Yadav, MLA Danam Nagender, offered silk cloths to Ujjaini Mahankali Ammavaru on behalf of the government. Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya, BJP Telangana Chief N Ramchander Rao, BRS leaders Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Marri Rajashekhar Reddy and other political leaders offered prayers at Ujjaini Mahakali Devasthanam. The women folks were seen carrying Bonam standing in queue lines right from the early hours on Sunday. The temple authorities provided six queue lines to control the crowd. The authorities provided separated queue lines for the Shiva Sattulu for early darshan. The shiva sathulu expressed satisfaction on the arrangements. The devotees from different parts of the city started coming to the temple in the afternoon. The main attraction of the jatara, the Potharajus along with the Phalaharam Bandis started coming in the evening. The fully decorated 'Thottelu' and Palaharam bandis were seen late in the night on Sunday. There were some 'child potharajus' who were dancing to the teenmar tunes of drums. The police provided heavy bandobast with 2,500 personnel near the temple with task force and 'She Teams'. There were 'She Teams' police to ensure the safety of women. A control room was set up by the Mahankali police to keep track of the happenings near the temple. The GHMC, water board also provided the arrangements like announcements, water packets and others. People not only from Hyderabad city but also from neighbouring districts came in large numbers. While many had darshan happily, some of the devotees were upset with the authorities not accepting the passes. 'We had passes but the officials did not allow us inside. We had to wait for more than one and a half hour to get inside the temple,' said a devotee Nagraj while standing in the queue. A woman Megha Srinivas Chaudhary said that she had been coming here every year and the arrangements have been good. Another devotee Shirisha, who came from Turkyamjal said that she has been coming since her childhood. 'I like this festival and I come here every year. Now I am married but never miss the darshan of Ammavaru,' said Shirisha. The Lashkar Bonalu will culminate on Monday with rendering of Rangam and a big procession of Phalaharam bandis.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
A riot of colour, devotion and drumbeats: Bonalu draws lakhs to Ujjaini Mahankali temple
The centuries-old Bonalu festival reached a vibrant high at the Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad on Sunday, drawing lakhs of devotees from across Telangana for one of its most significant days of celebration. From the early hours of the morning, devotees began queuing up along the roads leading to the temple, with crowds stretching as far as Sarojini Devi Road. With bonams (earthen pots filled with rice cooked in milk and jaggery, accompanied by curd, sugar, and turmeric water) balanced on their heads, women offered prayers to the goddess. A major highlight of the day's festivities was the spirited performance by the Potharajus, bare-chested men daubed in turmeric and vermillion, dancing to the beat of traditional drums. Separate queues were created for women devotees and barricades installed along the route to manage the heavy footfall. Around 11:30 a.m., Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy arrived at the temple, offering pattu vastralu (silk robes) to the deity and performing special pujas. He received theertha prasadam and blessings from the temple priests and was welcomed with traditional Poornakumbham. Earlier in the day, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Union Minister for Coal and Mines Reddy, accompanied by their families, also paid their respects at the temple. Several other dignitaries, including MPs Anil Kumar Yadav and Etala Rajender, Medchal MLA Malla Reddy, Sanathnagar MLA T. Srinivas Yadav and Hyderabad District Collector Hari Chandana Dasari were present on the occasion. With lakhs of devotees expected, civic and temple authorities had undertaken elaborate arrangements. Five medical camps were established near the temple, each stocked with essential medicines and staffed by trained medical personnel. Drinking water points were set up along all major approach routes, and sanitation workers were deployed to ensure cleanliness throughout the area. 'We had offered prayers last year for my son's admission into a master's programme in the US. Now that our prayers have been answered, we have come here to offer gratitude,' said Sangeeta Yadav, a resident of Tarnaka. However, the enthusiasm of many devotees was briefly dampened due to restricted temple access caused by heavy VIP movement. At certain checkpoints, minor scuffles broke out as police personnel attempted to control the crowd, preventing some people from proceeding. Public announcements were made over loudspeakers urging VIP vehicles not to park in areas designated for pilgrims and to vacate congested spots promptly.
Hans India
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Festivities begin: Governor offers ‘Bangaru Bonam' in Delhi
Hyderabad: Bonalu celebrations commenced on a grand note in the country's capital, New Delhi, with Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma offering 'Bangaru Bonam' to the goddesses. The Lal Darwaja Simhavahini Temple Committee has been diligently organising the Bonalu festival at Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi. Governor Jishnu Dev Varma attended as the chief guest and formally inaugurated the festival by lighting the ceremonial lamp. The Governor then placed a Golden Bonam on his head and reverently offered it to the goddess amidst energetic dance performances by the Potharajus and the rhythmic beat of drums. Following the offering, special prayers were performed for the goddess, and a photo exhibition was subsequently inaugurated. The Governor was felicitated by the Chairman of the Temple Committee, B Maruti Yadav. The programme saw the attendance of Telangana Bhavan Resident Commissioner Dr Shashank Goyal, Temple Committee Convener J Aravind Kumar Goud, General Secretary Posani Satish Mudiraj, former committee chairmen K Venkatesh, K Vishnu Goud, and A Manik Prabhu Goud, along with representatives A Chandra Kumar, A Vinod Kumar, Seshu Narayana, and other dignitaries.
Hans India
30-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Bonalu festivities: Thousands throng Golkonda Fort
Hyderabad: The Golkonda Fort premises presented a vibrant and crowded scene on the first Sunday of the Ashada Masam Bonalu Festival, as a multitude of men, women, the elderly, and children flocked to the Sri Jagadambika Mahankali Temple to seek blessings. From the early hours of Sunday, women were seen carrying 'Bonam' on their heads. Devotees were also observed preparing and sharing meals with their loved ones after offering their prayers to the goddesses. A major highlight at the Fort was the sight of Shivasattulu and Potharajus dancing energetically to the tunes of teenmar bands, captivating the crowds. While women in traditional saris carried Bonam in the morning, the entry of the Potharajus and Shivasattulu in the afternoon drew an even more massive crowd. Devotees from various parts of the city brought 'Tottelu' to offer to the goddesses, often in grand processions led by Potharajus. As per tradition, the Kummari Sangham was given the honour of offering the first Bonam. The police faced a challenging time managing the large crowd entering the Fort on this inaugural Sunday. The water board provided drinking water packets to the devotees, ensuring their comfort. The puja on the first Sunday of the State festival concluded with great fanfare, and the festivities at the Fort will continue for the next three weeks before moving to other temples across the city. The next significant dates for the Bonalu festival include the celebrations at Golkonda on 6 July, followed by festivities at the Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad on 13 July, with the Rangam procession on the following Monday. In the Old City, Bonalu will be held on 20 July, followed by Rangam and a large, colourful procession. A week before the final Bonalu in the Old City, members of the famous Ummidi Devalayala Uregimpu Committee will take out their Ghatam procession on 13 July. Meanwhile, the Kalyanotsavam of Sri Balkampet Yellamma will be held on 1 July adjacent to the temple, with the Ratholsavam procession scheduled for the following day, 2 July.
