HYDERABAD : Women devotees carrying `bonam' will have a separate queue for the darshan of `Ammavaru' at Secunderabaqd Mahankali temple on July 16, the Bonalu festival day. This is being done to ensure no inconvenience is caused to them , Endowments Assistant Commissioner A. Raghavacharyulu said at a press conference here on Monday.

Efforts are on to form separate queues for women and men too. The traditional `Ghatosvam' of Bonalu festival had already begun eight days ago. As is the practice, the exquisitely decorated `Ghatam' is taken out in procession on different routes in and around Secunderabad each day for 15 days.

The `Bonalu Jathara' on July 16 would begin after Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy takes the blessing of the Goddess at 4 a.m.

`Rangam', predicting future events of the year, would be held the next day at 8.30 a.m.

A procession with the photo of `Ammavaru', bedecked on an elephant, would be taken out on the same day at 10 a.m. from the temple to Mettuguda.

S. Krishna, founder family member of the temple, said some four lakh people would visit the temple on Bonalu festival day.

APSRTC has agreed to run special buses from Secunderabad to Ramgopalpet on the festival day for the convenience of people.

"All these special buses will have boards of `Mahankali Jathara special' written on them," he said.

The railway officials were requested to run MMTS special trips to Secunderabad for the benefit of devotees coming from city fringes.

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