Hyderabad: A sea of devotees, many dressed in traditional attire and carrying decorated bonam pots, filled the streets around Lal Darwaza on Sunday as Bonalu turned Hyderabad’s Old City into a vibrant hub of devotion and festivity.Thousands thronged the Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Temple, with the crowds building steadily from morning. By afternoon, devotees had been waiting for hours to offer bonam, with queues stretching well beyond the temple gates.The offering of bonam — rice cooked with milk and jaggery in new earthen or brass pots, decorated with neem leaves, turmeric and vermilion — remained at the heart of the celebrations. Women carrying the pots walked through the packed streets, adding to the festive atmosphere around the shrine.Police deployed 2,000 personnel across Lal Darwaza and used CCTV surveillance to manage the crowds, anticipating a footfall of more than five lakh during the day.The massive turnout also brought traffic in central and eastern Hyderabad to a crawl.Stretches connecting Kachiguda, Koti, Chaderghat and Malakpet witnessed heavy congestion, with Esamia Bazaar Road completely gridlocked. By Sunday evening, commuters were taking 45 minutes to travel along an eight-kilometre stretch through the area, according to live traffic data.Bonalu was celebrated with equal fervour at several other temples, where families offered prayers and performed traditional rituals.“This is my favourite time of the year. I have been excited about Bonalu and offering prayers at temples near my house since childhood. Now, I am passing that tradition on to my daughter,” said Harika, whose saree-clad daughter accompanied her to a nearby temple.The festivities will conclude on Monday with ‘Rangam’, the oracle prediction at Akkanna Madanna temple, followed by a combined procession on a caparisoned elephant, carrying ‘ghatam’ of the Goddess Mahankali.
