Bonalu festival: Rangam to predict Telangana's future today

Hyderabad: The two-day Bonalu at the Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad began on a grand note on Sunday with TRS MP K. Kavitha offering ‘bonam’ to the goddess in a vessel made of 3.8 kg of gold in a Shoba Yatra along with 1,008 women devotees, for the first time.

A huge procession was taken out from the residence of minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav to the temple in Secunderabad amidst drum beats and performance by cultural groups.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao along with his wife Shobha prayed at the temple. Many ministers and politicians turned up to the temple for the festival.

The first bonam was offered to the goddess at about 4.15 in the morning. The Chenetha Sangam had sponsored saris for the goddess.

Minister Indrakaran Reddy, along with his family members presented pattu vastralu (silk clothes) to the goddess. 

Mr Srinivas Yadav presented a golden sword, a diamond nose stud and bindi, as per his vow.

Though officials said they had made arrangements in such a way that women devotees could present their bonam within 15 minutes of wait in the queue line, that did not take place in reality. Devotees had to wait for their turn to present the bonam for hours.

Despite creating five queues and issuing VIP passes, the arrangements were inadequate to handle the rush of devotees, which was heavier this year. 

Officials said passes had a time limit and those who turned up late had to join the general queues which created confusion.

The much-awaited rangam, or the oracle, will take place at about 8 am on Monday in the temple premises. 

The predictions will be made by Rangam Swarnalatha followed by the Gajadhirohana, said temple superintendent Ravi Kumar.