Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy offered silk clothes to Goddess Ujjaini Mahankali and performed special prayers at the historic Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad on Sunday during the Laskar Bonalu celebrations. The visit marked one of the major events of the annual festival.
Ministers Konda Surekha, Ponnam Prabhakar and Seethakka attended the programme. Several MLAs and MLCs also joined the temple rituals.
Earlier, Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, accompanied by his family, offered the first Bonam to the Goddess on behalf of the Telangana government. The offering formally inaugurated the Laskar Bonalu festivities.
Revanth offers prayers amid heavy devotee turnout
Meanwhile, thousands of devotees reached the temple from the early hours. They offered Bonam and sought the Goddess’s blessings. The temple premises and nearby streets witnessed a festive and spiritual atmosphere throughout the day.
Authorities made elaborate arrangements to manage the heavy inflow of devotees. They created three queues for general darshan. They also arranged two dedicated queues for devotees carrying Bonam. Another queue served VIP visitors.
Police deployed around 1,500 personnel to maintain security and prevent untoward incidents. Officials installed CCTV cameras at several locations in and around the temple. They used the cameras to monitor the movement of devotees.
Officials also set up drinking water camps at multiple locations. The Health Department deployed medical camps and ambulances to handle emergencies.
Joint Commissioner of Police Joel Davis said police enforced traffic restrictions across parts of Secunderabad. The measures ensured smooth movement of devotees and reduced inconvenience to commuters.
Authorities temporarily closed major roads leading to the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple. These included Pogathabazar, Subhash Road, Hill Street and General Bazaar. The closures formed part of the traffic management plan.