Hours-long wait, VIP movement leave Mahankali Bonalu devotees fuming

Thousands of devotees flocked to the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad for the annual Bonalu festivities on Sunday, August 2, 2026. However, the annual event turned into a marathon as many faced queues of up to 4 to 5 hours. The long wait was exacerbated by heavy footfall and VIP movement, causing frustration among the faithful.

Queues stretching over a kilometre formed from all sides of the temple, with devotees enduring the scorching afternoon sun while waiting for their turn to offer prayers to Goddess Mahankali. While water packets were distributed to mitigate the heat, many, especially those with children and the elderly, expressed that the prolonged wait was taking a toll on their well-being.

Kunal, a father accompanying his mother, lamented, "It is 12 p.m. right now and I have been waiting in the queue since 8 a.m. Every year, it is the same situation. We come expecting that there will be less crowd and better management, but we end up waiting for hours." Savitri, a 52-year-old devotee, added, "It is so hot right now.

We are being given water packets, but how long can we wait? Many of the women who come here for the festival are middle-aged. If we are expected to wait for hours to offer prayers, some seating arrangement should be made." The VIP movement during peak hours also drew criticism, with devotees questioning why special arrangements could not be made during off-peak hours.

Vanshika, a 22-year-old attendee, remarked, "For VIPs, arrangements can be made at any time. They can come and offer prayers whenever they want. Why do they have to come during the same hours when they know lakhs of people will be visiting the temple?" The sight of VIPs bypassing the queues added to the frustration. Devotees alleged that some visitors, including those associated with political parties, were seen crossing barriers to enter ahead of the long-standing queue.

"Everybody should be equal before God, but on days like these we realise that it is not the case. We have families waiting for us at home and some of us have travelled from far away, but visiting the temple has become a day-long affair," said Kiranmayi, who had brought her 5-year-old son with her. The long queues continued to swell throughout the day, becoming one of the major concerns for devotees.

They argued that crowd-management measures needed to address not only the sheer number of visitors but also the needs of children, the elderly, and those unable to stand for long periods.