Festivities in the new normal: Low-key yet colourful, Old City celebrates Bonalu amid pandemic

The familiar sight of turmeric and vermillion-smeared

Pothurajus

dancing to pulsating beats of the dappus while brandishing their whips was missing. The streets of Old City, which usually wear a carnivalesque look at this time of the year, didn’t have the same festive vibe about them either. Dotted with sanitisation tunnels and cops ensuring social distancing, the bylanes of Lal Darwaza, Shah Ali Banda, Nagulchinta, Gowlipura and Ramaswamygunj witnessed very subdued

Bonalu

celebrations on Sunday.

Main temples of the Old City —

Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Devalayam

at Lal Darwaza and the

Akkanna Madanna temple

at Hari Bowli, remained out of bounds for the devotees. Some women folk did venture out though, wearing masks while carrying the bonam on their heads with close relatives dancing around them, adding some much-needed colour to the proceedings.

“Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have decided to celebrate Bonalu in a simple way sans the procession and folk dancers. Priests conducted all rituals at the temples,” said Vittal, Secretary, Simhavahini Sri Mahankali Devalayam temple committee.

I never imagined that I would be offering bonam to the Goddess while wearing a mask, but safety comes first
– Vijaya, resident of Hari Bowli

Charm of bonalu is missing this year but i hope with the blessing of

Goddess mahankali

, we will defeat covid-19 soon

– Gopinath, resident of Shah Ali Banda