The annual Bonalu festivities in the city to coincide with the month-long Telugu calender of Aashada Masam commenced at the traditional temple inside Golconda Fort on Sunday. The celebrations will continue in different parts of the city till August 8 with congregations mainly on Sundays and Thursdays.
‘Thottela’ procession
The festivities took off with the ‘thottela’ procession from Langar Houz to the Jagadambika temple in the fort. Idols of different regional forms of Mahankali were taken in the procession led by potharajus. Endowments Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy and Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav participated. They presented silk sarees to the deity at the temple on behalf of the government.
501 Bonalu offerings
Later, Mr. Yadav led the presentation of 501 Bonalu offerings at Katta Maisamma temple in Lower Tank Bund. The programme was organised by Shalivahana association, where Musheerabad MLA Mutha Gopal was present.
Mr. Yadav also inaugurated a procession of ‘ghatalu’ at Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad after special prayers. He will participate in a meeting at Salar Jung Museum on Monday to discuss arrangements with officials and temple committees on Bonalu in Old City on August 1.