Telangana Association of United Kingdom celebrates Bonalu in London
London: The Telangana Association of United Kingdom (TAUK) organised Bonalu celebrations on a grand scale in the auditorium of the Isleworth and Syon School in West London on Tuesday with more than 1000 NRI families from various parts of the UK attending the event bringing a festive look to West London.
Indian origin local MPs Virendra Sharma, Seema Malhotra, Ruth Cadbury and Hounslow Deputy Mayor Adesh Farmahan were the chief guests of the celebrations in which the NRIs recreated the ambience of ‘Lashkar’ in Secunderabad where Bonalu is celebrated every year. The main attraction was the traditional ‘Pothuraju’, while women carrying ‘Bonam’ across several streets of London were the highlights of the celebrations in which several local Englishmen joined.
The event started with the welcome speech by TAUK Vice-President Shushmuna Reddy and later the program was coordinated by official spokesperson Hari Goud Navapet. MP Virendra Sharma said he was glad to be part of celebration of Telangana festival. It was inspiring to see Telangana culture being promoted in a foreign land. He congratulated TAUK founder Anil Kurmachalam on being appointed as TSFDC chairman.
MP Seema Malhotra said she was proud to see the NRI women carrying ‘Bonam’ across London streets to showcase and promote Indian culture and especially Telangana culture by involving British residents. Such measures help to bring harmony, peace and respect towards different cultures. MP Ruth Cadbury maintained that Britain respected every culture and faith. “It’s very good to see the Telangana community organising their state’s festival in London involving all the communities”, she said while appreciating the efforts of the TAUK organisation for organising cultural and welfare activities.
TAUK president Rathnakar Kadudula said the association was committed to promote Telangana culture on a global platform and thanked Tourism minister Srinivas Goud for launching Bonalu poster and also thanked MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha for her guidance and support in organising several cultural activities.
Speaking on the occassion, NRI TRS President Ashok Dusari called upon the Telangana NRIs to strengthen the hands of Chief Minsier K Chandrashekhar Rao. He said people in India were looking forward for welfare schemes that were implemented in Telangana. The participants of the celebrations raised slogans demanding that KCR enter national politics.
Traditional Pothuraju from Telangana was the highlight of the event. Akshya Malchela, who came to the UK for higher studies, dressed himself as Potharaju to participate in the festival. The organisers later felicitated Akshya Malchela for his respect, passion and commitment to promote our culture on foreign land.
