Every July, the city of Hyderabad transforms. Streets echo with drumbeats, temples glow with offerings, and women dressed in vibrant saris carry shimmering pots on their heads. This is Bonalu—Telangana’s beloved celebration of the Goddess Mahakali. More than a festival, it is a living tradition passed through generations, filled with rhythm, reverence, and resilience.
Significance of Bonalu
Bonalu is a deeply rooted folk festival dedicated to Goddess Mahakali, celebrated with grand devotion across Telangana, especially in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The name “Bonalu” comes from the Telugu word “Bhojanalu,” which means “meal” or “offering.” Women prepare rice cooked with milk and jaggery, carry it in decorated brass pots (called Bonam), and offer it to the goddess.
This isn’t just ritual—it is a gesture of gratitude. According to local belief, during times of plague and suffering in the 19th century, people prayed to Mahakali for protection. When their prayers were answered, they started offering Bonalu each year as a vow fulfilled. Today, it has grown into a full-fledged spiritual carnival that celebrates both divine power and community spirit.
Photo story: Makar Sankranti in Hyderabad
Connection to the Puranas
While Bonalu is largely rooted in Telangana’s folk culture, its spirit echoes stories found in Hindu Puranas. Mahakali, the fierce form of Shakti, is often linked to the tale where she defeats the demon Rakta Beej. In many Puranic stories, the goddess appears not only as a protector but also as a mother who responds to the cries of her people.
Though the festival may not be directly mentioned in scriptural texts, its soul resonates with the Shakta tradition—where the goddess is seen as both destroyer and nurturer. In that way, Bonalu bridges mythology and lived experience, making the divine personal, tangible, and local.
The Rituals, Dances, and Fierce Devotion
Bonalu is as visual as it is spiritual. From the crack of dawn, devotees begin their preparations. Women dress in bright saris, adorn themselves with jewelry, and balance the decorated Bonam on their heads with a lamp lit on top. The sight of hundreds of these glowing pots moving together is unforgettable.
At the heart of the celebration are the Pothuraju dancers—bare-chested men smeared with turmeric and kumkum, wearing bells around their waists. They represent the goddess’s brother and lead processions with high-energy steps and whirling motions. Their fierce, almost trance-like dance is meant to guard the women and ward off evil spirits.
Another moving ritual is the arrival of possessed women, believed to be filled with the spirit of the goddess. With wild hair, rolling eyes, and rhythmic movements, they speak blessings or deliver divine messages, turning the ordinary into something magical and mysterious.
By day, Amlan Chakraborty a technical architect in IT; by passion, he's an explorer, travel writer and photographer. During his travels, he savors the journey on foot or via public transport, immersing himself in the local culture at street food joints and book corners. Through his lens, he captures and shares the essence of nature, humanity, and cultural and socio-political moments.
