Hyderabad: Union Minister Kishan Reddy offers prayers along with family at Mahakali temple

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 28 (ANI): Telangana BJP President and Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Kishan Reddy, and his family offered prayers at the Mahakali temple in Telangana’s Amberpet on Sunday.

Earlier, on July 21, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, along with other ministers, offered prayers at the Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad on the occasion of the Sri Ujjaini Mahakali Bonala Jatara, also known as the Bonalu festival.

Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and his family offered the first ‘Bonam’ to Ujjaini Mahakali at Secunderabad on the occasion of the Ujjaini Mahakali Bonalu festival here.

The Bonalu festival is a traditional Hindu celebration that is observed predominantly in the state of Telangana and is dedicated to Goddess Mahakali.

The festival is attended by the people of twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, during July and August.

Special poojas, or ceremonies, are conducted for Goddess Yellamma, who is one of the many regional forms of Goddess Mahakali.

The Bonalu festival is considered by devotees as a form of thanksgiving to Goddess Kali for answering their prayers and fulfilling their wishes. The term ‘Bonam’ is derived from ‘Bhojanam’, a Sanskrit word that translates to feast in Telugu.

The festival involves women preparing rice with jaggery in new earthen pots, which are then adorned with turmeric, vermillion, and neem leaves.

As part of the festival celebration, a lamp is lit on top of the pot, which the women carry on their heads to offer to Goddess Yellemma. They also carry bangles and a sari as part of the offering.

Earlier, on June 26, a review meeting was held on Wednesday to discuss the arrangements for this year’s Bonalu festival celebrations in Golconda.

Telangana Minister Konda Surekha took part in the review meeting with police, law and order, traffic, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), health, and other officials.