Bonalu At Lal Darwaza: VIPs Make A Beeline At The Historic Temple

Hyderabad: Bonalu festivities at the historic Lal Darwaza in the old city got off to a colourful start.

Thousands of women made started arriving at the temple since the early hours of Sunday, carrying with them the traditional prasadam (sweetened rice) to be offered to the presiding deity. Prominent among them were TRS MP Kavita, Telangana deputy speaker Padma Devender and ace shuttler PV Sindhu.

The Lal Darwaza temple and its surrounding areas wore a festive atmosphere throughout the day with loudspeakers playing folk music and religious songs while 'potaraju' dances attracted young and old alike. Similar atmosphere prevailed at smaller temples in and around the old city. However, the Lal Darwaza festivities attract more number of devotees and the faithful. The temple has been conducting the bonalu festival every year since the reign of the Nizams.

The city police installed 300 CCTV cameras in and around the temple besides the routes that led up to the shrine. Additional personnel were also deployed as part of the security measures to manage the huge crowds that are expected to arrive at the temple on Sunday and Monday.