A city in celebration as Hyderabad marks Bonalu
Hyderabad celebrated the Ashada Bonalu festival with traditional processions and prayers at local temples. The event saw significant participation from government officials and a notable surge in demand for local meat markets.
Why it matters
The festival highlights the intersection of traditional cultural practices and local economic activity in urban India.
The drums began early, the bonams arrived in a bright procession and the streets around Lal Darwaza slowly turned into a moving canvas of turmeric, vermilion, neem leaves and flowers. By evening, the Ashada Bonalu celebrations had given Hyderabad’s Old City its familiar festive pulse, even as large parts of the city appeared unusually quiet.
Several shops across Hyderabad remained shut on Sunday, while the usually busy roads saw thinner traffic on the weekend. However, the quiet streets were punctuated by the sound of drums, devotional songs and the steady movement of devotees towards temples.
TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Endowment Minister Konda Surekha and MP Anil Kumar Yadav participate during Bonalu festival at Lal Darwaza Simhavahini Mahankali Temple in Hyderabad on Sunday. | Photo Credit: RAMAKRIASHNA G.
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