GOLD OFFERING

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao formally hands over the bonam in gold bought with donations from devotees to Secunderabad Mahankali temple head priest B. Ramakrishna Sharma, on Sunday, on the occasion of Bonalu. Also seen are (clockwise) home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, Mayor Bonthu Rammohan, Chief Minister’s wife K. Shobha, minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and temple executive officer S. Annapurna. The bonam was earlier carried by TRS MP K. Kavitha and offered to the temple.

The two-day Bonalu at the Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad began on a grand note on Sunday with TRS MP K. Kavitha offering ‘bonam’ to the goddess in a vessel made of 3.8 kg of gold in a Shoba Yatra along with 1,008 women devotees, for the first time.

A huge procession was taken out from the residence of minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav to the temple in Secunderabad amidst drum beats and performance by cultural groups.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao along with his wife Shobha prayed at the temple. Many ministers and politicians turned up to the temple for the festival.

The first bonam was offered to the goddess at about 4.15 in the morning. The Chenetha Sangam had sponsored saris for the goddess.

Minister Indrakaran Reddy, along with his family members presented pattu vastralu (silk clothes) to the goddess.

Mr Srinivas Yadav presented a golden sword, a diamond nose stud and bindi, as per his vow.

Though officials said they had made arrangements in such a way that women devotees could present their bonam within 15 minutes of wait in the queue line, that did not take place in reality. Devotees had to wait for their turn to present the bonam for hours.

Despite creating five queues and issuing VIP passes, the arrangements were inadequate to handle the rush of devotees, which was heavier this year.

Officials said passes had a time limit and those who turned up late had to join the general queues which created confusion.

The much-awaited rangam, or the oracle, will take place at about 8 am on Monday in the temple premises.

The predictions will be made by Rangam Swarnalatha followed by the Gajadhirohana, said temple superintendent Ravi Kumar.

1) Huge crowd gathers to see Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan at Ujjani Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad on Sunday. 2) Minister Indrakaran Reddy along with his family members at the temple. 1 2

TRS MP K. Kavitha carrying gold bonam. Deputy speaker Padma Devender Reddy was also seen.

— Pics by S. Surender Reddy MP Bandaru Dattatreya at the temple.

Women waiting in the queue for a darshan.