Telangana: Devotees throng Mahankali temple to celebrate Bonalu festival

Devotees from different parts of the state on Sunday queued up at Ujjaini Mahankali temple to celebrate Bonalu festival.

Devotees offered prayers to goddess Mahankali, while a large number of women were seen carrying earthen pots containing 'Bonam' (feast/meal) on their heads to offer to the goddess.

Durgesh, one of the devotees, said: "Bonalu festival is very famous in Telangana. It is not celebrated this way anywhere else."

"We do this once every year and offer food to the goddess. We pray for good health for everyone," he said.

Jyoti, another devotee, said: "I am physically handicapped but I still come here every year to offer prayers. I have been coming here for the past 16 years."

Many ministers including Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also prayed at the temple and offered silk clothes to the goddess Mahankali.

'Bonalu' is celebrated in the month of July or August, in the twin cities of Hyderabad, Secunderabad and other parts of Telangana. Special prayers are performed for the goddess on the first and last day of the festival.