ALL DECKED UP: Youths go around the area at Maredpally in Secunderabad on Thursday with bedecked deity of goddess Mahankali ahead of the Bonalu festivities. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The Tourism Department will organise the Bonalu festival this year indicating the Government's plans to promote it into a tourist attraction.

The Information Minister, Mohd. Ali Shabbir, who reviewed arrangements for the festival with MLAs and officials here on Thursday, said the Government also increased funds from Rs. 50 lakhs last year to Rs. 1.34 crores this year for providing facilities.

"Funds are not a problem and the Government wants to provide best of facilities to devotees," he said adding such festivals would help strengthen communal harmony.

Elephant from Tirumala

Mr. Ali said an elephant was brought from Tirumala and being trained to participate in the procession while another elephant was housed in the Nehru Zoo Park. He said steps were taken for sanitation and water supply while sprucing up of roads was on for the convenience of people taking part in the procession. He said that the police be deployed in adequate numbers to keep a tab on anti-social elements.

MLAs' concern

Some MLAs expressed their displeasure stating that the Government was not serious about the festival. The Himayathnagar MLA, G. Kishen Reddy, suggested that such meetings be convened in much advance.

Similar views were expressed by the Secunderabad MLA, Padma Rao.

The Municipal Commissioner, Sanjay Jaju, said number of medical camps would be increased this year.

Work in coordination

Special streetlights would be provided in the areas around the temple for the convenience of women.

The Hyderabad Collector, Arvind Kumar, said the role of each department was defined and works were taken up in coordination with all departments.

Schedule

The festival will begin on Friday with `mahabhishekam' and `kailasa sthapana' at the Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple in the old city.

In a statement here on Thursday , the president of the temple management committee, G. Niranjan, said that `matha ghatam' would be brought in procession from Kasi Vishwanath temple on July 24 and installed at the Akkanna Madanna temple. `Jai Mathadi Bhajana' programme would be held on July 26, `laksha kumkumarchana' on July 29 and `laksha pushparchana' on July 30.

Main festival

A photo exhibition on Bonalu will be inaugurated on July 28. Scores of devotees are expected to converge at the temple on the main festival day of July 31.

The `Bonalu' procession will start at 3 p.m. on August 1and the `maha ghatam' would be taken out on a well-decorated elephant.

The Deputy Mayor Subash Chanderji, the Khairatabad MLA, P. Janardhan Reddy, the Cantonment MLA, G. Sayanna, the HUDA Chairman, Sudheer Reddy, the HMWSSB Managing Director, K.S. Jawahar Reddy, the Police Commissioner, Dinesh Reddy, were among those who attended the meeting.

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