Oracle predicts bountiful rains,vows to protect people from ills

Hyderabad: Oracle Matangi Swarnalatha at the Rangam programme at Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, Secunderabad on Monday predicted that the State would receive ample rains and a bountiful harvest. She also promised that she would protect all those who are suffering from various health problems.

Standing atop an earthen pot on the premises of Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, Swarnalatha invoked the Goddess and performed Rangam in the presence of BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar.

When the senior priest of the temple informed her about with great joy with which devotees offered prayers during the 15 days of Bonalu festival, she replied, “I am very much satisfied with the prayers that the devotees offered. Women and even young girls or boys can offer me Bonams of any shape or size, and I will accept them with full happiness.”

The Oracle said that for five weeks, pujas should be performed by devotees and jaggery along with pure water and neem should be offered to the deity on a daily basis.

Replying to queries regarding the rainfall, she replied the State will receive ample rains this year and that farmers will receive good yields and prosper.

Later, the soothsayer advised people to focus on physical work. To a query on handling modern lifestyle ailments like diabetes, she advised not to take medicines blindly and instead, go out and do manual labour in agricultural fields.

After the tradition of Rangam, Potharajus, considered to be the brothers of the presiding deity Mahankali, performed several rituals. Later the idol of the Goddess was taken out in a procession.

An elephant named Rupavathi from Karnataka took part in the Bonalu procession at the temple. The procession went around General Bazar, R P Road and other adjoining areas of Secunderabad. Potharajus and Ghatams accompanied by ‘teen maar’ beats attracted the attention of residents. The two days of Lashkar Bonalu have ended on a grand note and thousands of devotees made a beeline to the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad and offered prayers to Goddess Mahankali.