The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Kali festival splashes city with colour

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 01, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Kali festival splashes city with colour

Staff Reporter

Bonalu celebrations to culminate in immersion today

DRESSED IN BONALU BEST: A woman carrying offerings at the Lal Darwaza temple on Sunday. — Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

HYDERABAD: With gleaming vessels and earthen pots dotted with turmeric and saffron on their heads, women dressed in their best and sandalwood paste smeared on their faces made their way to temples dedicated to Goddess Kali at the crack of dawn on Sunday.

Parts of the old city and Ranga Reddy district came alive as the Mahankali Jatara Bonalu festival was celebrated at the temples of Sri Mahankali and Akkanna Madanna in Lal Darwaza and several other places like Bowenpally, Bolarum, Malkajgiri, Uppal and Alwal.

The Bonalu celebrations had begun earlier this month at the Golconda temple, followed by Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad before reaching the temples of the old city and Ranga Reddy. Large number of people from different parts of the city converged at the Mahankali and Akkanna Madanna temples, which have a rich history.

Propitiating the Goddess

Goddess Kali is propitiated in the month of `Ashadam' to ward off evils and to bring peace and happiness. Roads and lanes leading to the temples were attired in colourful festoons and buntings as religious songs continuously blared from loudspeakers. There were those whose `Bonalu' processions were preceded with their own drum beating bands.

Offerings to Goddess

Offerings of cooked rice, jaggery and curd brought in the pots were given to the Goddesses and long queues were seen at the main temples till late in the evening when the `Shanti Kalyanam' was performed.

The Tourism Minister, Geetha Reddy, the Mayor, Teegala Krishna Reddy, the Deputy Mayor, Subash Chanderji, and some film stars, too, visited the Mahankali temple and offered prayers.

All done up

The main temples as well as smaller ones nearby dedicated to different forms of Goddess Kali -- Peddamma, Katta Maisamma, Pochamma, Yellamma -- got fresh coats of paint, were decorated with neem and mango leaves and were aglow with glittering lights at night. Bonalu was offered at all these smaller temples as well.

The festival will culminate in the grand Mahankali `Ghatalu' procession starting from Lal Darwaza on Monday afternoon for immersion.

The Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, will flag off the procession and scores of people are expected to witness the spectacle.

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