Bonalu: Telangana's Vibrant Festival of Faith, Gratitude and Tradition
Bonalu is much more than a religious festival. It is a vibrant celebration of Telangana's cultural heritage, bringing together traditional music, folk performances, devotional rituals, and colourful processions.
HYDERABAD: The Ashada Bonalu festivities turned the busy streets of Secunderabad into a sea of devotees on Sunday, as thousands made their way to the historic Ujjaini Mahakali Temple to offer Bonam and seek the blessings of Goddess Mahankali.
The celebrations began early in the morning, with temple priests performing special rituals from 4 am. Long queues of devotees stretched outside the temple and onto nearby roads. Authorities made extensive arrangements to ensure that devotees had a safe and comfortable experience despite the large crowds. Volunteers and temple management guided devotees through designated routes to ensure smooth movement and prevent overcrowding.
Traditional cultural performances added colour to the celebrations, with Pothurajus dancing energetically to the beats of drums, drawing loud cheers from devotees. Joginis and devotees carried earthen and metal pots on their heads and offered their Bonams to the deity.
Among them was 24‑year‑old Ravindra, who performed as a Pothuraju for the first time. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, he said, “It has been my dream to take part in Bonalu as a Pothuraju. I spoke with a number of priests and completed the pre‑rituals, and today I feel honoured to perform for the Goddess. The energy is very high, and I pray for the well‑being of everyone.”
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) set up several drinking water points around the temple and distributed free water bottles to devotees.
Medical teams, ambulances and emergency response personnel were deployed at the temple premises and surrounding areas to attend to devotees in case of health emergencies. Fire and disaster response teams also remained on alert, while police personnel managed traffic and maintained security around the temple and nearby roads.
Some Joginis, however, expressed displeasure regarding crowd management at the temple premises. They alleged that police and volunteer staff kept pushing them while carrying the Bonams to the temple and did not let them complete their rituals properly.
In the evening, devotees took out the traditional Palaharam Bandi processions with portraits of Goddess Mahakali amid the beats of drums and music.
The history of the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple dates back more than 200 years. According to local tradition, during a devastating outbreak of plague and cholera in the early 1800s, soldiers from the Hyderabad State forces stationed in Ujjain (present-day Madhya Pradesh) prayed to Goddess Mahankali for the protection of their families and the people of Hyderabad. They vowed to install her idol in Secunderabad and offer Bonam every year if the epidemic ends.
After the epidemic subsided, the soldiers fulfilled their vow by bringing the idol of the Goddess from Ujjain and consecrating it in Secunderabad. It is believed that the first Bonalu celebrations at the temple were held around 1813, and a permanent shrine was established a few years later. Since then, the festival has continued as a symbol of thanksgiving and devotion.
One of the most significant rituals associated with the festival is the Rangam, a centuries-old tradition in which an oracle is believed to convey the blessings of the Goddess and make predictions for the coming year. The ritual draws thousands of devotees to the temple every year.
Another major attraction is Pothuraju, regarded in local folklore as the guardian and symbolic brother of Goddess Mahankali. Leading the processions with energetic dances, Pothuraju is believed to ward off evil and protect devotees. Every Pothuraju has a striking appearance with fierce facial expressions, elaborate face paint or colourful masks. Some wear a red dhoti, and a body smeared with turmeric and vermilion, adorned with ankle bells and they carry a whip, Pothuraju dances to the thunderous beats of the dappu, creating one of the most captivating and iconic spectacles of the Bonalu festival.
Bonalu continues to stand as a powerful symbol of Telangana's faith, cultural identity, and centuries-old traditions, attracting devotees and visitors from across the country every year.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other ministers offered prayers at Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad today.
