The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Moderate rain predicted this year

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Tuesday, Jul 22, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Moderate rain predicted this year

Staff Reporter

‘Rangam’ conducted on the concluding day of Bonalu at Ujjaini Mahankali temple

-- PHOTOS: NAGARA GOPAL

RELIGIOUS FERVOUR: The deity of goddess Mahankali being taken out in a procession on the concluding day of Bonalu festival at the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad on Monday. (Right) Swarnalatha blessing a devotee.

HYDERABAD: Will there be peace and harmony this year? “Yes, but people are becoming more greedy for wealth and officials are misusing their power.” What about rains? “There will be moderate rain this year.”

These were the predictions of Swarnalatha, an oracle at the ‘Rangam’, an event conducted on the second and last day of the annual Bonalu festivities of Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad here on Monday.

Rangam was to start at 8 a.m. but was delayed by almost two hours. People gathered in good numbers at the temple waiting for her since early in the morning. They bowed in respect soon as she arrived at the temple clad in a traditional silk saree and face smeared with turmeric.

Colourful procession

Later, a colourful procession with photo of goddess Mahankali on a bedecked elephant was taken out in the surrounding localities of the temple.

Pothurajus

Leading the procession, were Pothurajus who danced to the pulsating drumbeats.

The sudden downpour late in the evening added to the festive celebrations. Unmindful of the rain, people conducted the ‘Phalarapu bandlu’ processions and danced in ecstasy.

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