While the origins of Bonalu at the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple are traced to the cholera epidemic of 1813, the Lal Darwaza Bonalu tradition began under different circumstances. His Prime Minister, Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad, is said to have advised him to offer a bonam to Goddess Mahankali at the Lal Darwaza temple, in keeping with Hindu tradition.” Over time, the temple’s association with pearls was credited with contributing to the growth of Hyderabad’s iconic pearl trade in the Old City. He also visited the Lal Darwaza temple and offered sarees, gold bangles and a jewel-studded tilak to the deity. The Lal Darwaza Bonalu tradition began during the Nizam’s rule around 1907-08, and this year marks approximately 118 years of uninterrupted observance.