The two-day annual Bonalu festival celebrations at the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad began on a grand scale today, with thousands of devotees thronging the temple to have a darshan of the goddess.
Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav's family members performed special prayers at the temple, and offered the first bonam to the goddess Mahankali early in the morning.
Minister for Endowments Indrakaran Reddy presented a silk saree to the goddess on behalf of the State government. The minister was accorded a grand welcome by the priests with a Poorna Khubham. He performed prayers and offered a bonam to the goddess.
Union minister G Kishan Reddy, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and TRS MLC Kavitha were also among those who offered prayers.
Kavitha walked to the temple along with scores of women and offered a bonam and prayers.
"I have prayed for the well-being of our State and for the well-being of the people in the flood-affected areas. I hope that with the blessings of goddess Ujjaini Mahakali, they will all be safe," she said.
Elaborate security arrangements were made at the temple with the deployment of a heavy police force and CC cameras put up for monitoring. Drinking water arrangements were made and health camps were also set up near the temple.