Video: PV Sindhu Performs Bonalu Festival Rituals In Hyderabad, Days After Defeat To Unnati Hooda In China Open 2025

Indian Badminton player PV Sindhu was seen performing Bonalu rituals at the Lal Darwaza Mahankali Temple in Hyderabad. Visuals of the same have emerged on social media as the double Olympic medalist was seen donning traditional clothes and balancing a couple of decorated pots and heading into the Lal Darwaza Mahankali Temple.

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For the unversed, Bonalu rituals comprise of women offering decorated pots that contains cooked rice, milk, and jagger to Goddess Mahakali. It is a Hindu festival, celebrated in the regions of Hyderabad, Secundarabad and other parts of Telangana state and is done so in months of July/August. The festival's origins date reportedly back to the plague in Hyderabad as soldiers prayed to Ujjain Mahakali and promised to build a temple upon returning. Hence, the temple came into being.

Watch the below video:

VIDEO | Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu (@Pvsindhu1) performs Bonalu rituals at the Lal Darwaza Mahankali Temple in Hyderabad.

Bonalu rituals involve women offering decorated pots (bonams) containing cooked rice, milk, and jaggery to the goddess Mahakali.

(Full video available on… pic.twitter.com/rA4Mqcou0y

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 27, 2025

PV Sindhu brands Unnati Hooda 'lucky' after stunning loss in China Open

On the playing side of things, Sindhu suffered a stunning loss to 17-year-old Unnati Hooda in the recent China Open 2025 game. Although Sindhu doffed her hat to the opponent but she felt Hooda was lucky. She said, as quoted by Sportstar.

"She [Unnati] took a lead in the third game and maintained that. It was too late to cover that. Overall, there were good rallies and she was lucky. Both ends had their challenges. It was hard to control the shuttle. She had some lucky points, where in crucial moments she hit the net cords."

At the same time, the 30-year-old stated that Hooda's rise is a promising sign for the Badminton circuit.

"She [Unnati] has done well for herself. She is coming up [the ranks] and I wish her all the very best. Indian badminton is picking up and doing well and many more girls like her is coming up. It’s a good sign."

Sindhu had also lost in the Japan Open this year in the Round of 32 clash.