Grand Bonalu Festival Kicks Off at Ujjaini Mahankali Temple

Thousands of devotees thronged the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad on Sunday for darshan and to carry the Good offerings seeking blessings of Goddess Mahankali on the occasion of Bonalu. The main attraction of the celebrations was the dance of Potharajus, with vermilion and turmeric paste spread all over the body.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy took part in the prayers at the temple and offered a ‘pattu’ (silk sari) to the goddess. BC Social Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar also offered a ‘bonam’ along with his family. Other ministers and senior leaders of the Congress and BJP also took part in the prayers.

The devotees were served various traditional dishes including bonam (rice cooked with milk and jaggery), along with curd, sugar and turmeric water placed in earthenware pots.

Rangam Bhavishyavani

The two-day festivities at the temple include the ‘Rangam Bhavishyavani’, which is performed by a young girl on Monday. In a trance, she answers questions from devotees about what lies ahead for the state in the coming year. All arrangements have been made to ensure that everything goes off without a hitch.

To facilitate the women devotees who are offering Bonam to the goddess, the authorities have arranged separate queues. Barricades have also been erected to ensure smooth passage of thousands of devotees who are expected to throng the temple.