Total lunar eclipse to cast shadow on Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu prayers

SECUNDERABAD: The upcoming total lunar eclipse on July 27 might be a rare celestial event for sky gazers, but it would be the cause of a big disappointment for devotees visiting the Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Devasthanam in Secunderabad for prayers ahead of Bonalu festivities.
According to Ramathirha Sharma, Pradhana Archakulu of the temple, the doors of the temple will remain closed from 4pm on July 27 (Friday) to 8.30am on Saturday (July 28), owing to the lunar eclipse.

The eclipse of the moon will begin at 11.54am on July 27 and will end at 3.49am the next day. The lunar eclipse will last for 1 hour and 43 minutes, making it the longest total lunar eclipse of the century. It must be noted that every year, devotees throng the temple for Bonalu. Following the closure of the doors on Friday, the temple authorities are expecting a huge rush of devotees on Saturday, July 28.
“Every year, the number of devotees coming to the Devasthanam for Bonalu festivities is over 20,000. But due to the lunar eclipse this year, the temple doors would remain closed from Friday evening, which is why people would not be able to worship the deity till Saturday morning,” he said.
Temple authorities have, therefore, requested the devotees, especially the outstation ones, to check the temple timings and plan their visits accordingly. Many devotees who were earlier planning to visit the temple for Bonalu on July 27 and 28 to avoid the huge rush have been forced to reschedule their visit.
As 65-year-old Hema Palakati said, “Since my family is local, we won’t have much problem but many of my relatives living in other cities, who had scheduled to visit on July 27, will now have to defer their plans for a day, and accordingly we will have to figure out an arrangement for them.”
On Friday, Shakambari Alankaram was performed at the temple, where the Goddess was adorned with green leaves and vegetables.