Bonalu in the old city took off on a colourful note on Sunday with temples here wearing a festive look for the annual festivities. Temples started receiving devotees from early hours with Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Temple being the centre of celebrations with devotees converging in large numbers here.
Ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Indrakaran Reddy offered Pattu Vastrams to Ammavaru on behalf of state government. Talasani said that the government was organizing all festivals on grand note in KCR rule. He informed that Ambari procession was conducting with the money of government. Indrakaran Reddy said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has offered state festival status to Bonalu being celebrated in a big way.
Bonalu being conducted in Vijayawada, Dubai and US also he said. He said that elaborate arrangements have been made for the festivities and with the goddess’s blessings the state hopes to get more rains.
Narsimha Reddy said that the government is providing equal priority to all festival. KCR Government has offered Rs 15 cr for conducting the Bonalu festival on grand scale he said. The state will receive more rains with the divine blessings of the Goddess Mahankali, Narsimha Reddy said.Srinivas Yadav said that they have made better arrangements for smooth and peaceful conduct of the Bonalu. The Chief Minister has special care for the Bonalu as the people in general and women folk in particular throng the temples and pray the presiding deities he said.
He said that the state is in forefront to respect the sentiments of the people and Bonalu is being celebrated across the city and state with active coordination of the departments.
Dattatreya said that the government has to take steps to conduct the festivities across the state. BJP leader Dr K Lakshman, G Kishan Reddy and Telangana Jana Samithi President Prof Kodandaram, MLC Ramchandra Rao and others also participated and offered obeisance. Congress leaders Utham Kumar Reddy, K Jana Reddy, Anjan Kumar Yadav and others also attended the ritual.
CLP leader K Jana Reddy, TJS chief Prof. M Kodandaram, BJP state president Dr K Laxman, MLC Ramchander Rao, MLA Chintala Ramachandra Reddy and several others had a darshan of Lal Darwaja Mahankali Ammavaru here today.
Speaking on the occasion, Laxman said that Bonalu festival was part of Telangana culture. He asked the state government to give state festival status to Bonalu providing facilities further to the devotees. Kodandaram opined that the government schemes have to reach everyone and then only the state would be developed.
He said that Bonalu festival was celebrated even in Delhi during the creation of separate Telangana state. He reminded that the announcement of creation of separate Telangana state was came immediately after coming out from the Ammavari darshan. He said that he didn’t pray for his personal and said that he prayed Ammavaru for the development of Telangana. Temple Committee members honoured all the leaders.