Sec’bad resonates with beats of Bonalu.

​Hyderabad: Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali Jatara, popularly known as Lashkar Bonalu, was celebrated with pomp and enthusiasm here on Sunday.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, along with his spouse Shobha, offered silk clothes to the deity for the third time after the formation of Telangana state.

Thousands of devotees were seen standing in three to four-km long queues early in the morning. Though a separate queue was arranged for women, the waiting time for offering ‘bonam’ to the goddess was nearly four hours.

Organisers are expecting more than 15 lakh people to participate in the festival this year.

Bonalu, dedicated to the goddess of power, Mahankali or Kali, is celebrated in parts of Hyderabad and Secunderabad during Ashada masam (July-August).

The festival would conclude on Monday with 'rangam' (forecasting the future for next one year) followed by a colourful procession of the goddess on an elephant.

Also known as Ashada Jatara Utsavalu, it is celebrated on three different Sundays at different places in the twin cities. The Golconda Mahankali festival was celebrated in the historic Golconda Fort on the last Sunday.

The most popular celebrations would be held Sunday next (July 31) at Akanna Madanna temple at Lal Darwaza in the old city, followed by a huge procession the following day.

The festival is celebrated to ward off evil and usher in peace. It is believed that the festival was first celebrated over 150 years ago following a major cholera outbreak.

People believed that the epidemic was due to the wrath of Goddess Mahankali and began offering 'Bonalu' to appease her.

Women offer 'Bonalu' consisting of cooked rice, jaggery, curd, turmeric water which are brought in steel and clay pots to the temples.
People believe that Ujjaini Mahankali temple was constructed in 1813 by Suriti Appaiah, who was a bearer in the Indian military. He was on a mission to Ujjain town where thousands had died in the outbreak of cholera.