In the penultimate festivities to mark Bonalu, large crowds thronged the famous Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza on Sunday to offer prayers marked by traditional rituals with vessels containing cooked food.
Women attired in their best queued up in front of the temple with Bonams on their heads as an offering to the Goddess since morning. The month-long celebrations concluded with the second round of offering at the temple on Golconda Fort where they started.
There were separate queues for women carrying Bonams and regular queues for general public. Large gatherings were also seen at Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple at Haribowli and other Mahankali temples in the southern and eastern parts of the city.
Badminton player and two-times Olympics medallist P.V. Sindhu was among several popular personalities who visited the Lal Darwaza temple on Sunday. Ms. Sindhu offered a golden Bonam to the Goddess and said that she was very happy to participate this year, as she missed it last year due to an international tournament.
Endowments Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav offered golden Bonams and silk sarees to the deity on behalf of the State government. After offering the Bonam, the Ministers said they prayed for the well-being and prosperity of the people of Telangana.
Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali participated in Bonalu celebrations, and said it reflects the unique Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb.
YSR Telangana Party chief Y.S. Sharmila also participated in Bonalu fete at Lal Darwaza and offered Bonam to Sri Simhavahini Mahankali. She addressed the public after that.
