Most-awaited Bonalu starts with grand festivities
The widely-awaited Bonalu festival kicked off at the Golconda temple, starting with a grand procession from Langar Houz that included chariots and traditional dances, heightened by Hyderabad’s wellknown ‘teenmaar’ beats.
As the procession made its way to the Jagadambika Yellamma Thalli Alayam atop the Golconda Fort, ‘potharajus’ gave vitality to the celebrations with traditional dances to folk and religious tunes.
Every year, Jagadambika Yellamma Thalli Alayam marks the beginning of the Bonalu festival.
Bonalu is celebrated for nine days at this temple, with lakhs of devotees from the city and nearby villages anticipated to pay their visits each day.
Silk clothes and golden Bonam were presented to the deity by animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, endowments minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy, mayor Gadwal Vijaya Lakshmi, police commissioner C.V. Anand, and other officials.
Allola Indrakaran Reddy said, “After formation of the new state, Bonalu has been celebrated with renewed vigour. The Chief Minister instructed all ministers and departments concerned that no inconvenience should be faced by devotees, and the state government contributed `15 crore for the celebration of Bonalu.”
“Security and safety of the devotees is the primary concern, and all security measures had been taken, for the safe celebrations of the festival,” Anand said.
On the day, as many as 800 personnel of the Hyderabad police were deployed along the procession route, along with eight platoons of the Telangana state special police.
Anand trekked uphill to reach the temple atop the fort to review security arrangements. He interacted with temple authorities and supervised the barricading, illumination, and accessibility at counters and queue lines. He asked the temple management to alert the control room about any suspicious objects or any missing items.