Devatively bearing Bonam, depicting the chairman of the deity, during the Golconda Fort Bonal festival in Hyderabad on Thursday. | Photo Credit: G. Ramakrishna
As the harsh Sun of June, the Golconda, hundreds of women, bessed up on the stone stairs of the Golcond Fortress, some men dressed as women, bowed to apply Vermillion and turmeric to the steps to the ancient Jagadambika temple on the hill. When the men whipped teenings on drums and tin leaves, some women carried pots full of cooked rice ending with a burning torch.
Devoted applies to the temple stairs during the traditional annual Bonal of the Golconda Fort Fort in Hyderabad. | Photo Credit: G Ramakrishna
“The bonal refers to the beginning of Aasadam. It refers to the change of season and this offer is to ensure that the goddess takes care of us in terms of health. Today what we do in the whisper (worship of steps),” said one of the devotees who described steps with Kurky and Vermilion. Outside the main fortress, police officials guaranteed normal routes. Most devotees had to walk from 2 to 3 km to reach the fortress.
The painting of the goddess Durg adores the boulder of the Golcond’s solid temple during the Bonal festival in Hyderabad. | Photo Credit: G Ramakrishna
“I had to park my vehicle in front of Banjari Darwaza. It’s almost two kilometers walk and then there’s 350 steps,” said Ramesh, who came up with his friends from Chintal Basti near Khairatabad to pray to God. Hundreds of police lined the route that controls traffic, even though politicians appeared with a SUV convoy in the narrow streets of Otheri Bazaar, Moti Darwaza, Rethi Gali and Bada Bazaar Road. “I was here at 8 am, I will have to be there until it gets at 8pm,” said a police officer who was driving the crowd near the Jagdambika temple when the devotees were mixing and looking for their shoes.
During the month and Sunday, the bonal is distributed for nine days, the first is in the Golcond Fort.
“This kind of rush is a modern phenomenon. By 1986, we used to win only 10 to 15 families offered by the goddess (bid pots) of the goddess. The entrance card was then 50 Pais. It changed in 2016, when the number of devotees got to Laky.
Published – June 26, 2025 22:58
