Bonalu

Bonalu is an annual Hindu festival celebrated during the month of Ashada (June-July), predominantly in the state of Telangana. The festival honors the goddess Mahakali and is marked by offering prayers and the offering of Bonam, a special dish carried in a pot, from which the festival derives its name.

The history of this festival dates back to 1813, when the plague had hit Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Around the same time, a military battalion was being transferred from Secunderabad to Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, who prayed for the wellbeing of their families at the Mahakali Devastanam at Ujjain and promised to install a deity of the goddess in Secunderabad. When the plague ended and the battalion returned, the Ujjaini Mahakali Temple was constructed in Secunderabad and Bonam was offered as gratitude to the goddess.

Bonam is prepared with cooked rice, jaggery, curd, and other ingredients. Devotees believe that offering Bonam to the goddess will bring them good health, prosperity, and protection from evil spirits.

The festival now begins with the Golconda Bonalu, at the Jagadamba Temple inside the fort. The next Sunday, an event is conducted at the Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali Temple, considered the biggest and most popular Bonalu event. Thousands of devotees throng the temple, offering Bonam and seeking the blessings of the goddess. At the Mahankali temple, the Rangam ritual takes place the next morning of the festival. A woman standing atop of an earthen pot invokes Goddess Mahakali onto her and performs the custom of foretelling the year ahead for the devotees asking about the future.

The following Sunday, Lal Darwaza Bonalu sees one of the biggest gatherings of devotees at the Matheswari temple. Prime Minister of Nizam government Maharaja Kishan Pershad started the Bonalu festival from this temple, and the Nizam of Hyderabad Mir Mahbub Ali Khan gave donations and land to this and many other temples.

Bonalu also highlights the folk dance forms of Telangana, such as the mesmerizing “Dappu Dance” and “Kolatam,” performed by both men and women. Another part of the Bonalu festival is Thottela, whereby a colourful object made of bamboo sticks and transparent papers is offered to the goddess.

Pothuraju, considered the brother of Mother Goddess, is represented by a bare-bodied and well-built man, who wears a small tightly draped red dhoti and bells near ankles, and applies turmeric on his body, including vermilion on his forehead. Pothuraju dances to the resounding drums and dances close to Palaharam Bandi, the procession.

The festival’s charm lies in the unity and enthusiasm of the people who come together, irrespective of caste, creed, or social status. It showcases the rich cultural heritage of Telangana and strengthens the bond among its diverse communities.