The traditional festival of Ashada Masam Bonalu began in Hyderabad at Golconda Fort. Ministers offered silk clothes to Goddess Jagadambika to kick off the month-long celebration.
Many people, especially women and girls, gathered at Golconda Fort early in the morning. Throughout the day, more and more people came to watch the dances and performances by potharajus to the beat of music.
The festival involves taking the ‘utsava vigrahalu’ from Chota Bazar to the temple in Golconda Fort. The festival started on a Sunday due to the timing of the new moon, and will continue until July 29.
Ministers Konda Surekha and Ponnam Prabhakar participated in the festivities, offering silk clothes and joining a procession with a 23-foot-tall structure. They also donated money to the temple.
Various neighborhood associations brought ‘Tottelu’ and chariots with potharajus to Golconda Fort. The first day of the festival ended with a celebratory atmosphere, as women dressed in traditional attire offered bonum to Ammavaru in the temple.
Upcoming dates for Bonalu celebrations include events in Secunderabad, Rangam, Goshamahal, Begum Bazar, and Lal Darwaza Simhavahini Ammavari Devalayam. The festival will conclude with a colorful procession on July 29.
