Hyderabad: Lal Darwaza Bonalu drew large crowds of devotees to the Simhavahini Mahankali Temple in Hyderabad’s Old City.
Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha visited the temple during the Ashada Bonalu festival. They offered Pattu Vastralu on behalf of the Telangana government and performed special prayers.
MP Anil Kumar Yadav and PCC President and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud accompanied the ministers. Temple priests, Endowments Department officials and committee members welcomed the visitors according to traditional temple protocols.
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said Hyderabad’s Bonalu festival held a unique significance. He said the government had prioritised temple development across Telangana.
The government sanctioned ₹20 crore to organise Bonalu on a grand scale, Prabhakar said. He added that the festival reflected Telangana’s culture and traditions and attracted devotees and visitors from several states.
Prabhakar said future Bonalu festivals would receive an even larger scale of organisation. He also stressed the government’s commitment to developing the region and the Simhavahini Mahankali Temple.
Officials earned praise from the minister for their work during the month-long celebrations. According to Prabhakar, they followed government guidelines and ensured smooth festivities without any untoward incidents.
The government sought the Goddess’s blessings for Telangana’s prosperity, he said. Prabhakar also prayed for abundant rainfall and the welfare of the farming community.
Organisers held several cultural programmes throughout the month-long festival. The programmes showcased Telangana’s traditions.
Lal Darwaza Bonalu draws devotees and prominent visitors
Arrangements ensured that every devotee could have darshan of the Goddess, Prabhakar said. Officials also made provisions for the last person in the queue to offer prayers.
Endowments Minister Konda Surekha said the state government had allocated ₹20 crore for the Hyderabad Bonalu festival. She said temples across the city were conducting the celebrations on a grand scale.
The Endowments Department had made extensive arrangements to prevent inconvenience to devotees, Surekha said. She also reiterated the government’s objective of seeking the Goddess’s blessings for good rainfall and agricultural prosperity.
Later, High Court Justice S. Nanda visited the Simhavahini Goddess and performed special prayers. Endowments officials, priests and committee members welcomed him with traditional temple honours.
District Collector Dr Priyanka Ala also visited the temple. She offered a golden Bonam to the Goddess and performed special prayers.
Priests and temple officials welcomed the Collector with traditional honours.
MPs Kiran Chamala and Anil Kumar Yadav also visited the Goddess. Former Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Banda Prakash and Government Advisor V. Hanumantha Rao joined the visitors.
Women’s Commission Chairperson Gadwal Vijayalakshmi, MLA Tagore and former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav also offered prayers. Endowments Commissioner Hanumantha Rao, CP Sajjanar, the DCP and Special Officer Ravi attended the celebrations.
RDO Ramakrishna, officials from various departments, devotees and other prominent personalities also visited the temple.