Devotees from Telangana offer Bonalu to Goddess Kanaka Durga in Vijayawada
The Hindu
Telangana devotees offer 'bonam' to Goddess Kanaka Durga in traditional attire during annual ritual at Indrakeeladri.
Telangana-based Bhagyanagar Sri Mahankali Jatara Bonalu Utsavalu Ummadi Devalayala Uregimpu Committee members took part in the annual ritual of offering ‘bonam’ to Goddess Kanaka Durga atop Indrakeeladri here on Sunday.
The women devotees dressed in their best and traditional attire and carrying ‘bonam’ (a pot filled with rice, turmeric powder, jaggery, curd and covered with neem leaves and a lamp placed on it) on their heads reached Indarkeeladri to offer it to the deity. Temple priests offered them a traditional welcome. The committee members and devotees offered ‘bangaru bonam’ (bonam in golden vessel) to the deity.
Earlier, the devotees took out a procession from Jammidoddi, Kanaka Durga temple Guest House, to Durga ghat here. They performed Ganga Teppa Puja at the ghat before reaching the temple. As they took out the procession, the streets of One Town area and the Indrakeeladri were abuzz with chants in praise of the Goddess. The procession drew the attention of devotees and passersby with colourful ‘potharajus’, dancing to the rhythmic drum beats and smearing vermilion and turmeric on their faces. The folk artistes transformed themselves into demons and Goddesses. Men who were dressed as demons and Goddesses grabbed the attention of all and sundry. Committee president Gajula Anjaiah and others were present. Kanaka Durga Temple Executive Officer K.S. Rama Rao and his wife offered special puja to the Goddess at Jammi Doddi before the procession began.
The group of devotees from Telangana travelled all the way from Hyderabad under the aegis of the committee to offer ‘bonam’, silk robes (pattu vastralu) and pay their obeisance to the presiding deity Goddess Kanaka Durga as part of the auspicious Ashada Masam ritual. The devotees have been offering ‘bonam’ to the presiding deity for over a decade.
The surroundings of Indrakeeladri were filled with devotion and glee as the devotees arrived in a procession to offer the bonam to the presiding deity.