Bonalu begins grandly in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: On Sunday, at Golkonda, the Bonalu festival has begun. This time the festival has a speciality, as the same is celebrated in the independent Telangana state with the nobility of a state festival. Week after a week it will be followed by Secunderabad and Lal Darwaza.

Many a time it has been raised that Bonalu and Bathukamma to be considered as the state festivals in united Andhra Pradesh. Nevertheless, the same was never considered by the then rulers. Nevertheless, no sooner the TRS government has taken the reigns in their hands than it has approved both the festivals as the state festivals.

It is worth mentioning here that Bonalu is also known as Aashadha Jatara. It is celebrated during Aashadha maasam (month of Aashada) in nearly 115 temples in twin cities including Akkanna Maadanna temple, Peddamma temple, Katta Maisamma, Gandi Maisamma to name a few. The Telangana Tourism Development Corporation has launched Bonalu weekend package tours on June 29, July 13 and July 20.

It is evident that the state government of Telangana has declared both Bathukamma and Bonalu festivals as the state festivals. Moreover, this is the first year these festivals are celebrated in the independent state. Collectively all these reasons are going to make the festivals to be celebrated grandly in the state. As part of the GHMC’s preparedness, temporary toilets and medical camps would come up in crowded areas during Bonalu festivities. In coordination with the medical and health departments medical camps have been established. A review meeting was held on last Wednesday concerning the Bonalu preparedness.