Hyderabad witnessed the Bonalu festival with great splendor on Sunday at Golconda fort. Bonalu celebrations began during the Ashadam month and will continue till August 4.
The celebrations began in the early hours on Sunday, where the procession featuring the ‘Thottelu’, ‘Phalaram bandi’ and ‘Bonam’, commenced from Langar Houz and proceeded towards Golconda fort. Once the procession reached Sri Jagadamba Mahankali temple which is located within the fort, the statue was installed, where it will remain till the end of ‘Ashadam’.
The inaugural ceremony was led by Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad, Endowments Minister Konda Sureka, Welfare and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Collector Anudeep Durishetty, and other officials. Following the inauguration, they presented a ‘silk saree’ to Goddess Mahankali.
Devotees draped in colorful sarees with tumeric bonam pots on their heads, along with the dance of potharajulu made the festival colourful. Potharaju is considered as the brother of the Hindu Goddess Mahakali and takes on the role of protecting women carrying bonam.
The Telangana government along with Hyderabad Bonalu Utsav Committee members made all kinds of arrangements for the devotees. Following the rituals, goats and chicken were sacrificed.
Srinivas, a member of Bonalu Utsav Committee, said, “Bonalu is one of the important festivals in Telangana. During this celebration, women offer rice made with jaggery, neem sticks, moong dal and other ingredients in a pot and offer it to Goddess Mahankali. Moreover, the festival spreads a message of healthy style of cooking in a pot to the people. Earlier, during the combined Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Bonalu was not given much importance, but with the separation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, the festival gained much significance.”
Sarswati, a devotee from Malakpet said, “This is the third time that I took part in Golconda Bonalu celebrations. This year, the arrangements made by the government and Utsav members such as drinking water facilities, toilets, health checkups and medical facilities are good.”
Another devotee from Mehdipatnam stated that the arrangements made by the government made it easier for the devotees.
Following Golkonda Bonalu, the famous Lashkar Bonalu will be celebrated at Sri Ujjaini Mahakali temple in Secunderabad. This temple is known for hosting one of the grandest celebrations, drawing devotees from Hyderabad and neighbouring states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
