Telangana Bonalu Festival History & Importance of it

Telangana Bonalu is a Hindu Festival, where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped. It is celebrated in the month of Ashada Masam, which occurs in the month July/August every year. The government of Telangana declared the Bonalu Festival as the State Festival.

Now, coming to the festival, Bonalu in the Telugu language means ‘food’ and is a ritual in honour of Mother Goddess i.e. Mahankali, Shakti. During this Bonalu festival, women in large numbers offer food to the Goddess Mahankali.

Bonalu Jatara which lasts for a month also involves colourful processions and community feasts in the Twin cities. The month-long festival consists of various rituals like ‘Rangam’- forecasting the future, and the procession of mother goddess atop an elephant and the ‘Ghatalu’ procession.

About Bonalu Festival History in English

The history of the origin of this bonalu festival traces back to the 19th Century and is linked with the "Regimental Bazaar" and the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

In the year 1813, plague disease broke out in the twin cities, and this took away the lives of thousands of people and the Plague was catching on dangerously with the masses.

Then originated the belief that the Plague was a curse by the Mother Goddess- Mahankali and she were angered at the locals.

Just before this, a military battalion from Hyderabad was deployed to Ujjain.

When this Hyderabadian Military Battalion got to know about the epidemic in the cities, they prayed to the Mother Goddess in Mahankaal Temple - Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. History tells us, that this military battalion prayed to Goddess Mahankaali, to kill the plague, and if the Goddess would do so, they had decided to install and idol of Goddess Mahankali in the city.

It is believed that Mahankaali destroyed the disease and kept pestilence at arms length. Then, the military battalion returned to the city & installed an idol of the goddess, which was followed by the offering of Bonalu to her.

Hence, from then, this had turned a tradition, which has been followed and is still being followed by all the people belonging to Telangana. People started offering their prayers and food (Bhojanalu- Bonalu) to please the goddess so she would rid them of the disease.

Other versions also include the mythological story and belief that revolves around the festival, says that this is the time when Goddess Mahakali comes back to her parental home, in Ashada Masam or the period from late June to August, and so, this period is the most optimal time to offer Bonalu to the goddess. This can be compared to the treatment of a girl, who is married, and then returns to her birthplace, and is pampered by her parents.

Bonam Made of

The festival involves offering food of her choice to Mahankali. The offerings made to the Goddess consist of cooked rice, curd, jaggery, water and other dishes that are brought in the form of pots to the Goddesses temples. The earthen pots are decorated with white, yellow and red natural colours.

The majority of the women carry the pots on their head and it is believed that the women get possessed by the spirit of Mother Goddess Mahankali. The offering of cooked rice, jaggery and curd in a pot is known as ‘bonam’ and is covered with neem leaves and a lamp is placed on top of it.

Bonalu Festival Celebration's in Twin Cities

The festival is celebrated across Hyderabad in all of the 14 temples, part of the Old city. The first main festival is held on the first Sunday of the Ashada month at the Sri Jagadamba temple in Golconda Fort, the next main festival on the second Sunday at the Ujjain Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad and the third main festival on the third Sunday at the Matheswari Temple of Laldarwaja. These rituals are also performed for other shrines of Goddess Shakti in the twin cities.

Telangana Bonalu Festival 2017 Dates

June 25 - The Bonalu Jatara 2017 will begin by offering 'Bonam' at Golconda Jagadamba Temple.

July 2 - Bonam will be offered to Goddess Durga in Vijayawada Kanaka Durga Temple.

July 9 - Bonalu at the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad

July 10 - 'Rangam' and 'Phalaharam'

July 16 - 'Bonalu' in Old City

July 23 - Concluding ceremony.

Conclusion: We discussed the history of Telangana Bonalu in English. And importance of the festival.