Kishan Reddy extends Bonalu greetings to Telangana devotees
Synopsis
Union Coal and Mines Minister and BJP Telangana president G. Kishan Reddy extended greetings on Lashkar Bonalu, invoking a Sanskrit shloka and the Thottela and Ghata processions of the Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali festival.
Key Takeaways
Kishan Reddy , Union Minister of Coal and Mines and BJP Telangana state president, posted Bonalu greetings on 2 August 2026 .
The message centred on Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu , also called Lashkar Bonalu .
Reddy opened with a Sanskrit invocation to Goddess Mahakali before extending wishes in English.
He specifically named the Thottela and Ghata processions as upholders of the festival's traditions.
The post reflects the BJP's consistent cultural engagement in Telangana , a state currently governed by the Congress.
A Sanskrit invocation to Mahakali opened the message — and with it, Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy sent his greetings on Sunday, 2 August 2026, to devotees across Telangana on the occasion of Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu, popularly known as Lashkar Bonalu.
Reddy opened with the verse 'नमस्तेस्तु महाकालि पीठाक्षर निवासिनि' — 'Salutations to you, Mahakali, who resides in the sacred seat' — before extending what he called 'heartfelt greetings to all devotees.' He specifically invoked the Thottela and Ghata processions as living carriers of the festival's traditions, and prayed that the Goddess bless the people of Telangana with 'good health, longevity, peace, and prosperity.'
Lashkar Bonalu and the Secunderabad temple's pull
Bonalu is one of Telangana's most widely observed Hindu festivals, dedicated to Goddess Mahankali and marked by the offering of 'bonam' — a pot of cooked rice — by devotees, predominantly women. The Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad is among the most prominent shrines associated with the festival, and the Lashkar Bonalu celebrations centred around it draw enormous crowds each year. The Thottela (cradle procession) and Ghata (sacred pot) processions are the visual and spiritual centrepiece of the observances, weaving through the city in a display of collective faith.BJP's cultural outreach in a Congress-governed state
As BJP Telangana state president, Reddy's message carries a dual register — the personal devotion of a Telugu politician and the deliberate cultural engagement of a party seeking to deepen its footprint in a state currently governed by the Congress. Elected representatives across the political spectrum routinely mark Bonalu publicly, and Reddy's post — anchored in scripture, specific in its naming of processions and the local festival identity — follows that tradition while signalling active presence in the state's cultural calendar. The Bonalu season is a moment when Telangana's political class competes as much on cultural fluency as on policy — and Reddy, with a Sanskrit shloka and a precise local reference, has played that card early.Point of View
Named processions, the Lashkar identity) to signal genuine familiarity rather than a generic template. For the BJP in Telangana, festivals like Bonalu are terrain where the party has historically tried to close the cultural-credibility gap with regional rivals. As state president, Reddy's public observance of a deeply local festival is part of a sustained effort to embed the party in Telangana's social fabric ahead of future electoral cycles. The message is ceremonial in form but strategic in function.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lashkar Bonalu?
Lashkar Bonalu is the popular name for the Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu, a major celebration of the annual Telangana festival Bonalu centred around the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad, Hyderabad.
What are the Thottela and Ghata processions in Bonalu?
The Thottela (cradle procession) and Ghata (sacred pot procession) are the central ritual processions of the Bonalu festival, carried through the streets as expressions of devotion to Goddess Mahankali.
Why did G. Kishan Reddy post Bonalu greetings?
As Union Minister and BJP Telangana state president, Kishan Reddy extended greetings to mark the auspicious occasion of Lashkar Bonalu and to connect with devotees across Telangana.
Which goddess is worshipped during Bonalu?
Bonalu is dedicated to Goddess Mahankali , a form of Shakti, and involves the offering of 'bonam' — a pot of cooked rice — by devotees, especially women.
What Sanskrit verse did Kishan Reddy use in his Bonalu post?
Reddy opened with the verse 'नमस्तेस्तु महाकालि पीठाक्षर निवासिनि' — meaning 'Salutations to you, Mahakali, who resides in the sacred seat' — as an invocation to the Goddess.
