Latest news with #Ghatam
Hans India
22-07-2025
- 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.
Hans India
22-07-2025
- Hans India
Hyd'bad top cop flags off grand Bonalu procession
Hyderabad: Hyderabad City Police Commissioner CV Anand, accompanied by his wife Lalitha Anand, visited the Sri Akkanna Madanna Temple on Monday and officially flagged off the Ghatam procession. On this occasion, the Commissioner expressed his immense happiness to participate in the procession and extended his gratitude and best wishes to the temple management and the organisers. The Commissioner highlighted the remarkable 350-year history of the Sri Akkanna Madanna Temple. He noted that during the Qutub Shahi rule in 1675, pujas were performed here for a decade. Following the demise of Akkanna and Madanna, the pujas ceased. However, after India gained independence, the temple was meticulously reconstructed, and its sacred pujas and festivals were joyfully resumed. Anand recounted that Goddess Mahankali was historically invoked to protect everyone from plagues, diseases, and floods, and she consistently provided that protection. CV Anand also mentioned that the Bonalu festival has been celebrated grandly for the past month, with Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Konda Surekha taking a special interest and providing all necessary support to organise it on an unprecedented scale this year. Regarding security arrangements, the Commissioner explained that robust police security had been put in place at the temple and along the Ghatam procession route to prevent stampedes. He also stated that arrangements had been made in coordination with all departments to ensure devotees faced no inconvenience. He further noted that She Teams and Crime Teams had been deployed specifically to prevent eve-teasing, pickpocketing, and chain snatching. The Commissioner thanked all Hyderabad officials for performing their duties to ensure the Bonalu festival was conducted peacefully. Among the officials present were Vikram Singh Mann (Additional CP, Law and Order), D Joel Davis (Joint CP Traffic), K Apoorva Rao (DCP Special Branch), Sneha Mehra (DCP South Zone), Rakshitha Krishna Murthy (DCP CAR Headquarters), and Venkateswarlu (DCP Traffic).
New Indian Express
21-07-2025
- 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.
Hans India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Bonalu brings Telangana's spirit to the heart of Delhi
New Delhi: The capital's iconic India Gate transformed into a vibrant celebration of culture and faith on Tuesday as the second day of the Lal Darwaza Bonalu festival was held with great fervor. Following the inaugural day led by Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, Tuesday's centerpiece was a devotional Ghatam procession from India Gate to Telangana Bhavan, drawing large crowds and spiritual energy to the heart of New Delhi. It was organised by the Simhavahini Mahankali Temple Committee with support from the Telangana government, the event blended deep-rooted tradition with dazzling cultural expression. Telangana Resident Commissioner Shashank Goel attended the celebrations as the chief guest. The cultural procession featured more than 150 artists from the Telangana Department of Culture, performing traditional dappu drum beats, Pothuraju acts, Oggudolu dance forms, and Poorna Kumbham rituals. The sight of the sacred Ghatams moving through India Gate captivated visitors, residents, and tourists alike. Many foreign attendees were seen taking photos and videos, expressing admiration for the richness of Telangana's traditions and praising the energy and authenticity of the festival. After the procession, the sacred pots were installed in a special Ghat Sthapana ceremony at Telangana Bhavan. Women in traditional attire offered Bonams with reverence, while musicians and dancers filled the air with festive rhythm and devotional spirit, turning the Bhavan into a joyful cultural hub. Speaking on the occasion, members of the Simhavahini Mahankali Temple Committee expressed their reflections on the significance of the event,.'To host Bonalu at a place of national significance like India Gate is a proud moment for us and the entire Telangana community. This celebration not only connects our people to their roots but also allows others from across India and around the world to witness and appreciate the spiritual and artistic richness of Telangana. We are grateful to the Telangana government for making this possible.' 'This opportunity gave us a platform to bring Bonalu into the national spotlight. It wasn't just a festival — it was a moment of pride, unity, and cultural exchange. The support from the Telangana government and enthusiastic participation from people of all backgrounds made it even more special.' 'We thank the Telangana government wholeheartedly for creating the space for our traditions to shine at the national level. We also look forward to welcoming guests including Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and other dignitaries at the concluding day celebrations.' The final day of the Bonalu celebrations will be held on Wednesday, July 2, at Telangana Bhavan.
Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ed Sheeran's jam with Indian percussionist goes viral; ‘Shape of You' gets a ‘ghatam' twist
British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's latest track Sapphire – with Indian musical sensation Arijit Singh – that dropped on June 6, has become a monster hit. Instagram alone has over 700K Reels made on the song, and on YouTube, the song has over 5.8 million views already. Now, an Instagram Reel posted by percussionist Ganesh Murali Iyer, showing a jamming session with Sheeran, with both of them playing the ghatam, has gone viral with nearly a million views. Ghatam is a traditional South Indian clay percussion instrument, known for its unique earthy tones. In the video, Iyer begins playing the rhythm of Sheeran's hit song Shape Of You, and the English singer soon joins in, trying his hand at the clay instrument. Soon, viewers are treated to a ghatam-backed cover of the song, sung by Sheeran himself. Captioning the post, Iyer wrote, 'Ed and me playing ghatam from our Mumbai jam. This just happened before we jammed sapphire. This is also one of the moments that actually led to it….' Iyer also wrote, 'These are 2 ghatams in C# and D# Ig. I gifted the C# ghatam to Ed. This is not REHEARSED I just gave the instrument to him and we both vibed and chilled. It was so much fun recording for him at Goa. Such a spontaneous musician.' Watch the video here: A post shared by Ganesh Murali Iyer (@ganeshmuraliiyer) Since Iyer mentioned that this happened just before jamming Sapphire, we watched the music video of the song – with far too many intercuts – closely, and found a sequence from the exact day. Here it is: In the background is Ganesh Murali Iyer, the ghatams and mics. In the comments section of the Reel, Iyer explained what a ghatam is. He wrote, 'The Ghatam is a percussion instrument used in various repertoires across the Indian subcontinent, especially in Southern India . Its variant called ghara in Punjab and Magda in Rajasthan . It is made mainly of clay, baked with brass or copper filings with a small amount of iron filings. It represents the pancha Maha bhoota's according to Vedic tradition ( five elements of nature) ie Earth (Prithvi), Water (Jala), Fire (Agni), Air (Vayu), and Space or Ether (Akasha).' Many Instagram users reacted to the post. One said, 'Bro got the entire country together with just 1 song.' Another user commented, 'True devotees of art together! What a moment.' A third user wrote, 'From class benches to with ed sheeran on ghatam we've seen it all!!' Watch Sheeran's Sapphire here: The Sapphire music video is also making headlines as it features Indian cinema giant Shah Rukh Khan in a one-second cameo. Khan appears between 42nd and 43rd seconds, for those who are keen.
