Bonalu, Batukamma to be state festivals

HYDERABAD: The Ujjain Mahankali Jatara, popular as Lashkar Bonalu, and the Batukamma festival will be declared state festivals in Telangana and a government order to this effect will be issued shortly.

The decision to make the two important festivals of Telangana as the state festivals was taken at a review meeting held by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on the arrangements to be made for peaceful conduct of the Ramzan and Bonalu festivals.

Necessary guidelines to explain about the festival and what a State Festival means will be issued in a couple of days. If Bonalu and Batukamma are declared state festivals, those days will become public holidays and foolproof arrangements can be made for them officially much in advance.

The chief minister, who reviewed the arrangements and other issues relating to Ramzan and Bonalu with the DGP, GHMC, CPDCL, water board, transport and other officials concerned as well as people's representatives in Hyderabad, issued directions to the officials to ensure that arrangements were made for celebrating the two festivals in a grand manner.

Briefing mediapersons, excise minister and Secunderabad MLA T Padma Rao Goud said the chief minister wanted celebration of the festivals in a grand manner like never before as it would be the first time this year that the festivals would be celebrated in the state.

'The chief minister called for release of necessary funds.Though power is scarce, 500 KW mobile transformers and generators will be arranged to ensure supply.

Literature on Bonalu will be distributed in the form of booklets and pamphlets. The government will not only offer Pattu Vastralu (silk clothes) to the Ammavaru (deity) during Mahankali Jatara but also bear the cost of Prasadam distribution and processions.

The department of culture will arrange cultural programmes. Necessary drinking water, fire safety, security and publicity for the festival will be in place well before the festival,'' he said.

The minister assured that there would be no restrictions on the use of elephants for Bonalu procession.

As for Ramzan, the minister said, 'All the mosques in the city and elsewhere in Telangana will be spruced up and there will be uninterrupted power supply from 6 pm to 10 pm. Drinking water and other amenities will be provided.''

Earlier, MIM MLA Ahamed Balala told reporters that they had asked the government to spend Rs 5 crore on sprucing up mosques in Hyderabad and across the state.

The government was also urged to allow shops to remain open round the clock during the Ramzan month and provide uninterrupted power supply, particularly during 6 pm and 11 pm. The government was also urged to erect shamianas at Mecca Masjid for prayers.