Hours-long wait, VIP movement leave Mahankali Bonalu devotees fuming
Devotees at the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad expressed frustration over long wait times and VIP movement during the Bonalu festival. Many visitors criticized the lack of basic amenities and the prioritization of VIPs during peak hours.
Why it matters
It highlights public dissatisfaction with crowd management and perceived social inequality in access to public religious spaces.
Lakhs of devotees who thronged the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad for the annual Bonalu festivities on Sunday (August 2, 2026), August 2, faced waiting times of up to 4 to 5 hours, with several of them complaining that the heavy rush and VIP movement added to their ordeal.
Queues approaching the temple from all four sides stretched for over a kilometre, as devotees waited under the afternoon sun for their turn to offer prayers to Goddess Mahankali. While water packets were distributed at several points along the queues, devotees, particularly those accompanying children and elderly family members, said the prolonged wait took a toll on them.
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