SHANTI, PLEASE!: Mayor Teegala Krishna Reddy performing puja at the Hussainsagar on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: The skies have cleared and the sun began to peek through after almost three days of continuous downpour.

Yet, taking into account the fear among people of the twin cities that there could be a repeat of the August 2000 flash floods, Mayor Teegala Krishna Reddy decided to seek to blessings of goddess.

He offered `bonalu' to Hussainsagar lake on Sunday seeking the blessings of Goddess Kali to protect the capital and its people from any such flood. Dressed in `kurta' and `dhoti,' Mr. Reddy first went to Simha Vahini Mahakali temple at Lal Darwaza in the old city.

He offered prayers there and proceeded to the lake taking with him pearls, vermilion and turmeric in a hand-woven bamboo plate.

Prayers were offered to another temple of Goddess Kali on Tank Bund following which the Mayor offered the plate with all the ingredients to the lake.

Emulating the Nizam

Ninety-eight years ago, the erstwhile Sixth Nizam Mir Mehboob Khan is said to have offered `bonalu' to the Musi when the city experienced floods in 1908. On the advice of his Prime Minister Raja Kishen Prashad, he had offered prayers to the goddess and miraculously, the floodwater subsided soon after.

Elders' suggestion

Talking to presspersons, Mr. Reddy said some elders had suggested that he, too, emulate the Nizam to `calm the waters' considering the concern among people.

"The city and its people celebrate religious festivals with same fervour. I feel happy and proud to have participated in this ritual," he said.

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