Vijayawada: The Bhagya Nagar Sri Mahankali Bonala Utsavala Ummadi Devalayala Uregimpu Committee offered a special Bangaru Bonam (Gold Bonam) to Goddess Kanaka Durga on Sunday, continuing their tradition for the 16th consecutive year. The sacred offering was made at the hill shrine on Indrakeeladri, symbolising the strong cultural bond between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.Committee members began the day by performing special pujas and preparing the Bonam at Jammi Dhoddi Choultry at the foot of the hill. A colourful procession followed, showcasing five traditional Telangana folk art forms, including Pothuraju dance, Garaga Nruthyam, Bethala dance, and others. Women devotees carrying Bonam pots on their heads danced with devotion, while also performing Ganga Puja at the Krishna River near Durga Ghat.The procession was welcomed at the temple by endowments minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and Executive Officer Seena Nayak, who formally received the Bonam on behalf of the temple. Gopishetty Raghavender, President of the Bonala Committee, said, “Though we belong to different states now, our devotion is united. We see Kanaka Durga as Mahankali’s sister and have brought this special Gold Bonam as a token of our love.“Massive devotee turnout on SundayBeing a weekend and part of the Ashadha month, thousands of devotees from both Telugu states gathered at the Durga temple to offer their Saare (ritual offerings). Temple EO Seena Nayak personally monitored the situation to manage the crowd. With increasing rush, the ₹500 special darshan was cancelled, and arrangements were made for quicker darshan for general devotees. Alternate queue lines and designated routes were set up for Saare Samarpana teams, who were also offered free prasadam and blessings on the 6th floor of Maha Mandapam.Many devotees also took part in spiritual rituals like Suryopasana, Chandi Homam, and Laksha Kumkumarchana.
