Mahankali Rangam: Oracle predicts bountiful rains; warns of loss of lives

Hyderabad: Oracle Jogini Swarnalatha on Monday predicted heavy rainfall and warned of calamities that could result in loss of lives, urging people to remain cautious.

The Rangam ritual was held on the second day of the Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Lashkar Jatara, during which Jogini Swarnalatha, standing on a clay pot, invoked Goddess Mahankali.

Responding to questions from the temple priests, Swarnalatha said, “I am angry; why should I answer your questions? Every year you make promises but fail to fulfil them, insulting me. I am not happy even this year. What I seek is not even the size of a fingernail, yet it remains unfulfilled.”

She reminded the priests that she had consistently protected people from disasters despite repeated lapses. Referring to the pending installation of her idol, she gave a six-month deadline, warning that calamity would be inevitable if the idol was not installed within that period. She also cautioned that those creating obstacles to the idol’s installation would face severe consequences.

The temple priest apologised to the Goddess and assured that the idol would be installed before the next Bonalu festival.

Expressing her displeasure, Swarnalatha warned people across the state to remain vigilant this year. She predicted torrential rains, loss of lives and fire-related accidents. She said her anger stemmed from parents neglecting their children, the breakdown of family values and the rise of arrogance in society.

Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Temple Executive Officer Manohar Reddy, among others, attended the Rangam. The celebrations concluded with a grand procession of Goddess Mahankali’s idol mounted on an elephant, accompanied by colourful tableaux showcasing Telangana’s folk traditions and cultural art forms.