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

Lakhs of devotees who thronged the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad for the annual Bonalu festivities on Sunday (August 2, 2026), August 2, faced waiting times of up to 4 to 5 hours, with several of them complaining that the heavy rush and VIP movement added to their ordeal.

Queues approaching the temple from all four sides stretched for over a kilometre, as devotees waited under the afternoon sun for their turn to offer prayers to Goddess Mahankali. While water packets were distributed at several points along the queues, devotees, particularly those accompanying children and elderly family members, said the prolonged wait took a toll on them.

“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,” said Kunal, who had come to the temple along with his mother.

Several devotees also sought better arrangements for those waiting for long periods, including seating facilities at points along the queue. “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,” said Savitri, 52, who had been standing in the queue for nearly 3 hours.

VIP movement during the peak hours also drew criticism from devotees, who questioned why special arrangements could not be scheduled at a time when the general rush was relatively lower.

“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?” asked Vanshika, 22, who was among those waiting for darshan.

Adding to the frustration was the sight of some people bypassing the queues. Devotees alleged that a few visitors, including workers associated with political parties, were seen crossing barricades and entering ahead of those who had been waiting for hours. “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. You cannot plan to come here and finish darshan in an hour or so,” said Kiranmayi, who was waiting in the queue along with her 5-year-old son.

With the queues continuing to swell through the day, the long waiting period emerged as one of the major concerns for devotees, many of whom said that crowd-management measures needed to account not only for the sheer number of visitors but also for children, elderly people and those unable to remain standing for several hours.