Hyderabad, August 2: Former Minister and Sanath Nagar MLA Talasani Srinivas Yadav on Sunday said the Bonalu festival is a symbol of Telangana’s culture and traditions, urging devotees to celebrate the annual festival with devotion and harmony.
Talasani Srinivas Yadav participated in the Bonalu celebrations at the historic Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad, where he offered Bonam to the presiding deity and performed special prayers.
Temple priests welcomed the MLA with Poornakumbham honours. After offering prayers, he received blessings from the priests, who chanted Vedic hymns and presented him with prasadam. An Om flag was also unfurled under the auspices of the Arya Samaj.
Addressing the media, Talasani said prayers were offered for abundant rainfall and a good agricultural season, noting that farmers have been facing difficulties due to inadequate rainfall influenced by El Niño conditions.
He said lakhs of devotees had been visiting the temple since early morning to seek the blessings of Goddess Mahankali and offer Bonam.
Recalling the history of the festival, Talasani said Bonalu did not receive official recognition before the formation of Telangana. He stated that after the creation of the State, the BRS government led by K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) declared Bonalu a State festival and extended government support for its grand celebration.
He also recalled that the Telangana government had offered a golden Bonam to Goddess Mahankali and said the festival has been celebrated on a large scale from Golconda to Lal Darwaza.
According to Talasani, elaborate arrangements were made well in advance to ensure that lakhs of devotees could participate without inconvenience. He also acknowledged the contributions of the Deccan Manava Seva Samiti, which has been associated with the temple’s activities for decades.
The MLA said he has been involved in organising Bonalu celebrations for nearly 30 years with the support of officials, volunteers and local organisations.
He said the traditional water pot procession and fruit cart procession would be held later in the day, while the Rangam and Ambari processions are scheduled for Monday.
Appealing to devotees, Talasani urged everyone to cooperate with organisers and ensure that women carrying Bonam are not inconvenienced during the celebrations.
