Telugu states celebrate Sankranti with pomp

Hyderabad: Makar Sankranti, the colourful Hindu festival, was celebrated with pomp and gaiety across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Friday.

On the second day of the three-day festival, the countryside in both the Telugu states wore a festive look with decorated houses, kite-flying, cockfights, bull-fights and other rural sports.

Villages in both the states came alive with Sankranti, considered as one of the major festivals. It was time for the families to take a break and come together in their natives towns and villages. 

People from different parts of the country and even abroad joined their near and dear ones for the festival.

Attired in their best, men, women and children thronged the temples to offer prayers since early morning.

Lakhs of people from Hyderabad left for their homes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for the celebrations, leaving the city`s roads almost deserted. Authorities operated hundreds of special buses and trains from Hyderabad to various destinations in the two states over last couple of days to clear the festival rush.