Delhi set to reverberate with Lal Darwaza Bonalu fervour

Hyderabad : Spreading the culture of Telangana, the Lal Darwaza Bonalu festivities will be celebrated on a high note in the country’s capital, Delhi, for three days. This year will be the 10th year of celebrations in Delhi. The committee members of the century-old Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Devalayam Temple authorities in Lal Darwaza, Old City, have made all arrangements for the upcoming festival.

According to the temple committee, this year in Delhi, the festival will be celebrated for three days starting on July 8 and concluding on July 10 by performing a special puja to the Kali Matha. The temple committee's former chairman, K Venkatesh, said that elaborate preparations are being made in the country’s capital. “By celebrating the Bonalu festival beyond Hyderabad, we are spreading the Telangana culture of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb all over the country,” he added.

The Bonalu festivities in Hyderabad begin with an offering to the goddess in the Jagadamba temple located atop the Fort on July 7. The festivities will continue in Mahankali Temple, Secunderabad, and end in Lal Darwaza Temple, Old City, on July 28, and the main procession will be held on July 29. BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has sanctioned Rs 20 crore as assistance for temple decorations.

Bonalu begins with the ‘Ashada’ month, as per the Hindu calendar, celebrating the goddess Mahankali. In Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana, devotees, especially women, make offerings in the form of food to goddesses in specially decorated pots to celebrate Bonalu.

The temple committee chairman, C Rajender Yadav, informed that the temple will witness a large number of devotees gathering even at this time, and arrangements are being made for the 11-day event with the help of different departments. “These Bonalu festivities witness a congregation of devotees not only from the city, but from across neighbouring States including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and also Tamil Nadu. Hence, we are ensuring all the arrangements are in place,” he said.

Venkatesh said that keeping in view the significance of Bonalu at Lal Darwaza Temple, festivities have their own importance and are perhaps the only temple where both the Hyderabad Police Commissioner and GHMC Commissioner will officially kick start the proceedings. “A large-scale arrangement is being made for the festival, including decoration works, cleaning of temples, painting, silk robes, jewellery and other items of the goddess.”

Venkatesh said, “The tradition of Lal Darwaza Bonalu celebrations began during the time of Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan. This year, the celebrations will complete 116 years. History shows that many kings, politicians, and ministers offered silk garments and jewellery to the goddess.

The tradition of presenting silk robes to the goddess on behalf of the government is being continued even after the State formation,” said Venkatesh.