Hyderabad: Pomp, gaiety mark Bhogi celebrations

Hyderabad: Bhogi festival was celebrated with pomp and much fervour in the city. All the people, who are living away from their native places due to their education and jobs, have returned to their native places to celebrate the Sankranti festival. The city acquired a complete festival look in the morning with families waking up quite early and setting up traditional bonfires. Traditional plays by Haridasas and bone fires by friends and family members were seen at some places.

The MLC of Kamareddy and Nizamabad in Telangana, Kalvakuntla Kavitha, celebrated Bhogi festival with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party supporters, at Bhagyalakshmi Temple in the Charminar area on Wednesday. At around 5.30 am, the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister, commenced Bhogi festival celebrations at Bhagyalakshmi Temple. The festival was celebrated with enthusiasm and a large number of TRS supporters and people were present.

While briefly interacting with the media, Kavitha wished for the prosperity and good health of all while igniting Bhogimantalu (an annual ritual in the festival). In a tweet, the leader said, "May the divine light of this Bhogimantalu brings in a new dawn in the lives of each one us. Praying for everybody's prosperity, good health. Happy #Bhogi."

Bhogi is largely celebrated in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana and is part of the Pongal festival in which useless household articles are put in a bonfire.