BONALU
- TRADITIONAL TELANGANA FESTIVAL
 |
 The
twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad are all set
to welcome the biggest religious festival, 'Bonalu'. The
electrifying Bonalu festival, which is celebrated with
deep fervour and gaiety in the Telangana Region will take
place in the period of Ashada Masam (a month in Hindu
calendar, which falls in between June and July). The
word 'Bonalu' is derived from ‘Bhojanalu’ meaning
food offered to the Goddess Maha Kali.
 "The
Goddess Maha Kali is worshipped by the Telangana people
with different names such as Yallamma, Katta Mysamma,
Pochamma and Gundamma, etc. Every village in the region
has a temple for the Goddess. The main objective of the
Bonalu festival is to get the blessings from Goddess Maha
Kali for the entire family and community. Goddess Kali
is regarded as a sole super power in the Hindu mythology
and is propitiated to ward off all evils to bring peace
and happiness," Mrs. Madireddy Andamma, Reader,
Osmania University, explained the importance of the
festival. Mrs Andamma did her doctoral research on 'Village
Deities'and is considered to be an expert
in the subject.
 The
Bonalu Jatara which starts on the first or second Monday
of Ashada masam generally spans over eight to sixteen
days. Bonalu festival is celebrated in different stages.
In the first stage Ghatams, ornately decked up
idols of the Goddess are taken to each and every house
in the surrounding area to enable the devotees to view
the deities and have their blessings. The main Bonalu
day comes on either eighth or sixteenth day which is generally
a Sunday.
 The
festive fervour starts from early hours in every home.
"On Bonalu day women take head bath early in the
morning and wear festive clothes. They cook rice and prepare
a Andhra sweet dish, Payasam and Thotakura ( a
leafy vegetable) and put them in a vessel decorated with
neem leaves and a Jyothi (an oil lamp in a shallow earthen
dish) on top. Women carry these vessels on their heads
and walk up to the temple, while the traditional band
music (dappu) accompanied by dancing follows them. They
place the vessels before Godesses as an offer to the almighty.
Some women fill the vessels with water, mixed with turmeric
powder and pour them around the temple along with neem
leaves for a prosperous and peaceful life. This is called
'Saka'," said an old lady Ramulamma
of Amberpet.
 By
the time Bonalu comes, almost all the Kali as well as
other temples wear a festive look with colourful paintings
and magnificent decorations. Lakhs of devotees from all
corners of the twin cities throng the main temples of
Secunderabad, Amberpet, Shalibanda.
During the Bonalu celebrations,
'Potharaju'- a man with turmeric powder paste smeared
to his body is the special attraction. He wears a garland
and a large kumkum mark on his forehead. He carries a
whip and lashes it against his body repeatedly. He dances
ferociously to the tune of heavy drum beats. 'Rangam'
the final stage of the festival that takes place on the
next day of Bonalu has got much importance among all other
stages. On the Rangam day, an unmarried women stands on
a pot at sanctum sanctorium (Garbha Gudi), in front
of the idol and looks into the Goddess' eyes with concentration.
As she keeps on concentrating, without her knowledge,
she slowly goes into trans and reveals the future of the
community as if like the Godess. People believe that,
Goddess Kali enters into the body of the women to make
her devotees cautious about their future. Large number
of people gather to witness this event which takes place
in the morning. After the Rangam, the whole festival comes
to an end with massive procession, where an idol of Goddess
Mahakali atop a caparisoned elephant is taken around the
streets accompanied by the Potharaju and lots of devotees.
"Although the festival
is celebrated in the Ashada masam, the exact Bonalu day
will differ from one area to another. In the twin cities,
the celebrations commence from Sri Jagadambika Temple
in Golconda followed by Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secuderabad,
Kashi Viswanath Mandir in Shali Banda, Mahakali Temple
in Amberpet and finally culminate at the Akkanna Madanna
temple in Lal Darwaza," said Ms. K. Lakshmi,
Assistant Commissioner and Executive officer of Ujjaini
Maha Kali Temple, Secunderabad
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BONALU
JATARA PROGRAMME 2001
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Area
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Ghatams
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Bonalu
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Rangam
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Secunderabad
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24-6-2001 to
7-7-2001
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8-7-2001
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9-7-2001
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Old City
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8-7-2001 to 14-7-2001
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15-7-2001
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16-7-2001
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-Mohan G Jagan
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1:38:54 PM 
