Thousands offer prayers at the famous Ujjaini Mahankali Temple to mark Bonalu festival

Hyderabad: Thousands of people from different parts of Telangana thronged the famous Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad to have darshan of the Goddess Mahakali on the occasion of "Bonalu" festival on Sunday.

Devotees, including a large number of women, carrying decorated earthen pots containing "Bonam" (Rice cooked with milk and jaggery) on their heads since dawn queued up near the temple for the darshan and to offer the 'bonam' to the Goddess.

Devotees offer 'bonam' as a thanks giving to the Goddess for fulfilling their vows.

Today's festival heralds similar bonalu festivals in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other parts of the state during the coming weeks.

Telangana Minister T Srinivas Yadav offered silk clothes and bonam to the Goddess in the morning.

Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy, along with his family members, was among the prominent people who had the darshan of the Goddess.

K Kavitha, MLC, daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also offered Golden Bonam along with a large number of women.

Three lakhs of people are expected to visit the temple on Sunday, according to the police.

Tight security arrangements were put in place to avoid any untoward incidents and traffic restrictions were imposed in the vicinity of the temple in view of the festival. (UNI)