Bonalu Being Celebrated With Pomp, Religious Fervor

Hyderabad: The Annual Jatra, Bonalu this year too is witnessing lakhs of the people thronging the famous century old Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad. Large number of people were seen at the temple right from the early hours and offering special poojas as well as Bonalu (rice cooked with milk and jaggery) to the presiding deity on Sunday marking the two-day annual Jatra.

The Jatra will be attended by lakhs of people from different parts of Telangana. A special attraction of this year's bonalu is the golden bonam pot, made up of 3.80 kgs of gold. The bonam was offered to the Goddess by TRS MP K Kavitha.

The bonam in the golden pot was presented to the Goddess along with those offered by 1,108 women devotees, all wearing similar saris. A Shoba Yatra was held from Adayyanagar Kaman, the residence of Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav to the Ujjaini Mahankali temple amidst drum beats and dance performances by the cultural troupes.

The golden bonam was made out of the gold donated to the temple over the years by devotees. Nearly 10 kgs gold was melted from the kanukas (donations). After using gold for the pot, the rest is being preserved in a locker and will be utilised for a golden saree for the goddess, which might be presented during the Navaratri festivities. The tender has been secured by Manepally Jewellers.

Long serpentine queues were seen from Ramgopalpet police station and General Bazaar areas. Women clad in pattu saris came to the temple from all over the city and few places around the region to offer bonam. Since early morning, thousands of devotees stood in queues to have darshan of the Goddess Mahankali.

Also Read: Bonalu in Hyderabad: Dry Days Ahead