Secunderabad: Preparations at a fast pace for Lashkar Bonalu

Secunderabad: Ashada month festivities stage set for Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, Secunderabad for Lashkar Bonalu celebrations. All elaborate arrangements are being made ready for the D day. The two-days annual events would begin from July 25.

Painting works, minute repair and lighting work are in progress and coming week temple would be decorated with flowers. The road leading up to Ujjaini Mahankali Devalayam at General Bazaar is packed with devotees, as festivities has already began on July 11, but the major attraction at the temple is the two-days annual events set for July 25 (Bonalu) and July 26 (Rangam).

Mahender Reddy, executive officer, Ujjaini Mahankali Temple said, "This year the Lashkar Bonalu celebration would be in a grand manner, as last year no devotees were allowed to offer bonam at the temple and all the arrangements were made keeping in mind the hiked covid cases then. But this year we are expecting more than 45 lakh devotees for the two-day festival. Meanwhile in 2019, 35 lakh devotees visited the temple. Special saree would be offered to the deity from Pochampally. A gold Bonam by the temple would be offered to the Goddess. For Rangam procession for the deity, this year elephant from the Veera Thapasvi Veerabhadra Shiva Charyaru Samasthanam Muth, near Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) Karnataka would take part in the procession. Around Rs 10 lakh is been sanctioned from State government."

The arrangements include installation of CCTV cameras- 25 cameras are installed inside and 15 cameras outside the temple premises, ban on movement of vehicles on RP road, battery cars for senior citizens, CCTV camera command control room at Mahankali police station, LED screen would be placed at the strategic points.

The temple authorities, GHMC, HMWSSB HMDA, TSSPDCL, and police department are leaving no stone un-turned to make the annual State festival a grand affair. A water proof shed, 150 by 60 ft, would be put up at the temple premises to protect the devotees against rain and sun. Toilet facilities for both men and women will be set up by the GHMC.

A mobile Covid vaccination van will be put up for the benefit of the devotees and also medical camp will be set up to provide free services and no devotees would be allowed without mask. Within a week we would decide on how devotees that is VIP pass holder and the general public would come from which direction, added Mahender.