Latest news with #Bonalufestival
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
One dead, eight hospitalised after suspected food poisoning from reheated meat in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: A 46-year-old man died while eight members of his family were hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning in Vanasthalipuram on Tuesday. Three among the eight are in serious condition. The deceased, Srinivas Yadav, a bus conductor, was a resident of RTC Colony. The others admitted are his wife Rajitha (38), daughters Lahari (17) and Jasmin (15), mother Gouramma (65), brother-in-law Santosh Kumar (39), his wife Radhika (38) and their daughters Kritagna (7) and Purvika (12). Of them, Rajitha, Jasmin and Gouramma are said to be in critical condition. According to police, the family had celebrated the Bonalu festival on Sunday at their residence and consumed chicken and mutton prepared that day. Leftover boti and chicken were stored in the refrigerator and reheated for consumption on July 21. Soon after, all of them suffered from diarrhoea. They initially received treatment at RTC Hospital in Tarnaka, but their condition did not improve. On Tuesday, the nine persons were shifted to a private hospital in Chintalkunta, where doctors declared Srinivas Yadav brought dead. Meat reheated The family had consumed chicken and mutton on Sunday. The leftover meat was stored in the refrigerator and reheated for consumption on Monday.
Hans India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Old City Bonalu wraps up on a high note with grand spectacle
Hyderabad: A month-long period of traditional AshadaMasam celebrations and worship of Goddess Mahankali culminated in the Old City on Monday, as the annual Bonalu festival concluded with a colourful procession. Amidst lively 'teen maar' band music and energetic dances by folk artists, the procession was followed by the immersion of ghatams on the banks of River Musi at Nayapul. The state festival concluded with the famous 'Rangam' predictions and a grand procession, the 'Sri Mahankali Jatara'. The annual procession was led by the Ummidi Devalayala Uregimpu Committee and the Sri Akkanna Madanna Temple Committee, with the Ghatam deity carried atop a decorated elephant named Lakshmi, brought from Karnataka. This marked their 77th annual procession. Thousands of devotees lined the procession route, eager to witness the glittering and colourful convoy of ghatams and the captivating performances by folk artists, which served as a central attraction. People welcomed the procession from numerous stages erected along the route, offering flowers as it passed. The mesmerising dances by potharajus and other folk artists enthralled the devotees. Spectators sat on both sides of the roads, witnessing the vibrant procession as it started from Hari Bowli, passed through Maisamma Mahankali temple in Bela, Nehru Statue, Lal Darwaza cross roads, Shalibanda, then through Charminar, Pathergatti, and Madina, before peacefully culminating at the Matha temple at Delhi Darwaza near the Musi river in Nayapul. The day's celebrations began with pooja in the early hours, with several hundreds of devotees participating in rituals at various temples across the city. Around 11 AM, the PothurajuSwagatham ceremony was organised. Pothuraju was seen moving around the areas surrounding the temple, bestowing blessings, believed to safeguard devotees from evil spirits. Rangam by Anuradha Expressing happiness with the poojas performed by the devotees, oracle Anuradha delivered her predictions. Standing on a specially prepared mud pot and invoking the presiding deity during the 'Rangam' at Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandiram, Anuradha, in a trance, conveyed her contentment with the poojas performed during the Bonalu festival. 'It is my responsibility to take care of you all who have performed poojas. I will save you all from all evils,' she declared. 'Just offer 'Saka of neem leaves' and consume jaggery and chickpeas for five weeks, and also offer gandham during SravanaMasam. Also have Ganda Deepam in your homes. I will ensure your safety by standing in front of your doors.' The Oracle urged parents to ensure their children do not succumb to bad habits. She observed that she was seeing the entire world, noting, 'People are consuming liquor, not seeing parents as parents and they will have to face fate. But I will save them if they offer Ganda Deepam in their homes for five weeks and she will ensure all their diseases go.' A total of 25 ghatams from major temples were included in the procession, among them Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple, MateshwariMutyalamma Temple Bela, Bangaru Maisamma Temple Haribowli, Mahakaleshwar Temple Mir Alam Mandi, Kota Maisamma Temple Alijah Kotla, Bangaru Maisamma Temple Magar Ki Bowli, and Nalla Pochamma Temple Murad Mahal. Declared as a state festival after the formation of Telangana state in 2014, Bonalu is now celebrated on a large scale with pomp and gaiety. The festival, which began on 26 June from Golconda Fort, concluded with the Bonalu in Old City on Monday. The city police implemented tight security arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the two-day grand festivities. CCTV cameras were installed at the temple and surrounding areas. Approximately 2,000 police personnel were deployed, including units from the RAF (Rapid Action Force), Traffic police, Law and Order police, bomb squads, SHE teams, and Crime teams.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- New Indian Express
Lal Darwaza drenched in devotion
HYDERABAD: A sea of devotees swept through the historic lanes of Lal Darwaza on Sunday as the Bonalu festival unfolded in full splendour. The Simhavahini Mahankali temple became the epicentre of devotion, with thousands, mostly women in colourful attire, offering Bonam to the goddess. The rhythmic beat of dappu drums pulsed through the Old City as thousands joined to seek blessings and offer prayers. To manage the surge, temple authorities set up special lanes for devotees, while over 2,500 police personnel, including RPF, special branch and RAF, were deployed. CCTV cameras monitored key locations, and liquor outlets were shut for the day. Neighbourhoods around Lal Darwaza — Hari Bowli, Sultan Shahi, Bela and Sabzi Mandi — were decked out in LEDs, adding to the festive air. The final leg of Bonalu in the Ashada Masam will conclude with the 'Rangam' and 'Ghatam' rituals, including oracles and processions through Charminar to the Musi river.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Government announces ₹1-crore cash award for Rahul Sipligunj
The State government has announced cash award of ₹1 crore for singer Rahul Sipligunj on the occasion of Bonalu festival in line with the promise made by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Mr. Sipligunj, hailing from the Old City of Hyderabad, achieved international recognition, including an Oscar nod, for the Naatu Naatu song in the 2022 film RRR. Mr. Reddy had announced a cash reward of ₹10 lakh for the young singer when he was TPCC president and assured cash reward of ₹1 crore for him if the Congress rode to power. He made a special mention of his assurance to Mr. Sipligunj during the presentation of Gadar awards recently and said orders to this effect would be issued soon. Accordingly, the government announced the cash award coinciding with the Bonalu festival in the Old City on Sunday (July 20, 2025).
Hans India
2 days ago
- General
- Hans India
Colourful Bonalu lights up Old City
Hyderabad: The annual Bonalu festival, symbolising the culture of Telangana, was celebrated with traditional fervor and gaiety in the city on Sunday. Women devout took Bonam barefooted to Mahankali temples - Sri Akkanna Maddanna Mahankali temple in Haribowli, Darbar Maisamma in Karwan, Mahankali temple in Amberpet and other Mahankali temples in the city. Besides, lakhs of devotees along with many political leaders flocked to the temples having darshan of the deity. Every corner of Hyderabad city, especially the Old City resonated as the people were immersed in the Bonalu celebrations. On the last Sunday of Ashadam masam, the city was decked up in traditional attires and made a beeline to the temples and are offering Bonam to the Goddess Mahankali. Women dressed up in the traditional wear and teenage girls adorned half-sarees and jewels carrying Bonam containing cooked rice, jaggery, curd and neem leaves on their heads queued up at the temples. Some women faced a spell of trance where they danced with the balancing pots to the rhythmic beats made by drums in honour of the Goddess on the occasion. Declared as the state festival after the creation of Telangana state in 2014, Bonalu is being celebrated on a large scale with pomp and gaiety. The festival which started on June 29 from Golconda Fort ended with Bonalu in the Old City and other parts of the city on Sunday. The famous Sri Simhavahini Temple at Lal Darwaza in the Old City was the major attraction for the devotees, as all the VIPs attended the Bonalu in the temple. On the occasion of 117th year of Bonalu at the historic Lal Darwaza temple, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Vakati Srihari and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and GHMC Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi offered 'Bangaru Bonam' to the deity on behalf of the state government at Simhavahini Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza. The committee members of Sri Simhavahini Mahankali temple in Lal Darwaza, Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple and Bangaru Maisamma temple in Hairbowli, Sri Muthyalamma temple at Bela, Sri Bhagyalaxmi temple at Charminar, Sri Darbar Maisamma temple in Karwan made special arrangements for the convenience of the devotees. 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 anger of Mahankali and began offering Bonalu to placate her. During the celebrations, special queues were arranged for women, who were carrying Bonam for hassle-free darshan. Police diverted vehicular traffic at several points to ensure smooth conduct of the festivities. Former Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP MP K Laxman, MLA D Nagender, BRS MLC K Kavitha, BJP leader Madhavi Latha, Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman BR Naidu were among the prominent personalities who offered prayers at Mahankali temples in different parts of the city. The state government has allocated Rs 20 crore for the grand conduct of Bonalu festivities across the twin cities. Financial support was extended to 2,783 temples in the form of direct cheques. To ensure the safety and comfort of all devotees, temple authorities have implemented extensive arrangements. The Hyderabad city police have established a robust security presence, deploying approximately 2,500 officers to oversee the celebrations. CCTV cameras have been installed throughout the area to monitor the ongoing events, and both city and district police have joined forces in security efforts. Teams of the Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, Rapid Action Force, City Armed Reserve, Quick Reaction Teams, Bomb Detection and Disposal teams, SHE Teams and local civil police were deployed. Police pickets were posted at all sensitive points and religious places and patrolling continued. The two-day festivities will conclude on Monday with 'Rangam', the oracle prediction at Akkanna Madanna temple.
