Lal Darwaza Bonalu to make its mark in Maharashtra

Lal Darwaza: With the main objective of spreading the culture of Telangana, the Lal Darwaza Bonalu festivities will be making its mark in Maharashtra in August. The temple committee of Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Devalayam which recently concluded its 3-day festivities in Delhi from July 2 to 4 also undertook festivities in AP during this month.

Lal Darwaza Bonalu festivities, which started during the period of Nizam VI now enter their 111th year. They reflects the Telangana culture of the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb and is now gearing up for the festivities from July 19. "By conducting Bonalu festival beyond Hyderabad we are spreading the Telangana culture of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb in all over country," said K Venkatesh, vice president, Simhavahini Mahankali Temple.

Devotees from different parts of the city and nearby districts and also states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu attend the Bonalu festival, while taking active part in procession and other activities. "Every year the devotees are increasing, last year more than 2 lakh devotees attended the procession and this year, we are expecting around 2.5 to 3 lakh devotees," he added.

Speaking to The Hans India, Venkatesh said that various governments during the unified Andhra Pradesh failed to patronize the festival and was ignored. Following separation of the State this became the state festival of Telangana. "Following bifurcation this festival is being celebrated for the last 5 years, also in Delhi. Last year, the president of All Temple Association of old city had also celebrated the festival in US. This year we are going to celebrate the festival in Maharashtra also", he added.

He also said that after the bifurcation, the TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao participated in festival and for the first time the gold Bonam was taken, since than many dignitaries took part and taken gold Bonam during festival.

He also said that in 2014, CM had promised to expand the temple, but many years passed and still no discussions were initiated over the matter. He requested Chief Minister to expand the temple as every year lakhs of devotees attend the pooja on a grand note.

Venkatesh also said that in 2008, on its 100 year of festival, a gold Kalasam was installed by Jagadguru Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya at the temple. For more than 50 years the Pujari S Narsimha is performing pooja here.

HISTORY OF BONALU

During Nizam VI era in 1908, the Musi river flooded most of the city. The floods became the cause of many deaths. After the floods, diseases started spreading. Nizam asked his men to offer prayers at all religious places. Nizam asked his advisor, Kishan Prasad to organise pooja in famous temple. During this, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan made a visit and offered saree, gold bangles and prayed for the wellbeing of Hyderabad. As a mark of this exercise, Bonalu festival is celebrated each year during the rainy season.

Since then, the structure of temple and the Idols have remained as it is. Later, in 1968, Kaanchi Kaama Koti and many other Pujaris and Sri Sri Shankara Charayulu established the idol of Mahankali.

Earlier, there were 13 doors to enter Hyderabad and the devotees visiting the Mahankali Temple used to come from all 13 doors. But the main entrance of the temple remained the famous Lal Darwaza. While entering and exiting from this door the devotees put saffron colour on the doors, hence the name Lal Darwaza came into being and still continues with the name, said Venkatesh.

Many dignitaries visit

Many dignitaries including former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narsimha Rao and former Chief Ministers N T Rama Rao, N Chandrababu Naidu and several others and Governors took part in the festivities. Apart from this many VIPs like Vijaya Shanti, Roja, P V Sindhu and many Muslim leaders like Mir Ahmed Ali, MA Rasheed Khan, TS Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali also participated and offered Bonam in this Bonalu festival.