Mahmood Ali, Indrakaran Reddy, Nayani Attend Bonalu

In a show of communal amity and brotherhood, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali, a Muslim, attended the festival of Bonalu.

He joined Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy, Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy and others at the Lal Darwaja temple and participated in the festivities.

The three ministers offered traditional silk clothes and other materials to the Simhavahini goddess (goddess riding a lion) at the 107-year-old temple, on behalf of the state government.

They attended the special pujas on the occasion and prayed the goddess for good rains for the development of the new state.

"This time, we prayed the goddess to bless Telangana with abundant rains that will help better agricultural yield and enable the farmers to flourish," they said.

TRS MP from Nizamabad K Kavitha offered a golden bonam to the goddess at the temple.

Accompanied by party leaders Vijayalakshmi and others, Kavitha prayed the goddess to bless the new state to flourish in all fields.

Speaking on the occasion, Kavitha said Telangana got statehood with the blessings of goddess Mahakali. She beseeched the goddess to bless the state with more rains and abundant water and other resources. She also urged the womenfolk thronging the temple to beg the goddess for the same. (NSS)