HYDERABAD: The Golconda Bonalu, the first of the month-long annual Bonalu festivities began on a colourful note at the Sri Jagdamba Mahankali temple, with installation of the Ammavari Ghatam atop the Golconda Fort on Sunday.A large number of devotees, including politicians offered prayers to the Goddess Mahankali. The devotees took out a jhoola and ratham procession from Langer Houz crossroads to the temple and offered ‘bonam’, containing cooked rice mixed with jaggery in a pot along with neem leaves and ‘saka’ (pure water). Meanwhile, minister for Endowments, Ponnala Lakshamaiah offered prayers and presented ‘pattu vastraalu’ on behalf of the state government. The minister also assured he would take up the issue with chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, to declare Bonalu as a state festival. The idol procession was taken out from Chota Bazar, Golconda Fort, according to A Parama Nandam, chairman, trust board, Sri Jagdamba Mahankali temple. He said celebrations would continue on Sundays and Thursdays till July 31. The police have made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the procession. The chairman said a total of nine special Bonalu pujas will be held on July 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28 and 31. ‘Bonalu should be declared as a state holiday’: The state government should declare Bonalu as a state festival and make it a public holiday for educational and administrative institutions, demanded G Mahesh Goud, advisory committee chairman, Lal Darwaza Sri Mahankali Temple committee. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday he said, “Apart from declaring Bonalu as a state festival, the government must release `15 crore every year for development of existing Mahankali temples and for construction of new ones across the state. The Bonalu festival should be entered into the academic curriculum and literature on the festival must be published to spread the tradition and culture of Telangana.”He also announced that the ten-day Bonalu festival will be celebrated from July 15 to 24 and on July 24 there will be a procession from the Lal Darwaza Mahankali temple. He added that governor ESL Narasimhan, chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana and other political leaders are likely to attend the procession.
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