KCR Presents Bangaru Bonam As Telangana Celebrates State Festival Bonalu

Bonalu, the annual festival celebrated throughout the Telangana region, particularly grandly in the twin cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad, has taken a colorful fervour this year as Telangana’s state festival. The thanksgiving festival dedicated to Goddess Mahankali, known also as Maisamma, Yellamma, Renuka Mata, Pochamma, Peddamma, Poleramma, Maramma, and Ankalamma got the official trappings this year.

CM KCR resented ‘Bangaru Bonam’ and ‘Pattu Vastrams’ to Mahankali Ammavaru Temple at Lal Darwaza in the Old City on behalf of the State Government. CLP leader K. Jana Reddy, Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreyya, TDP deputy floor leader Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Goshamahal MLA D Raja Singh and others prayed at the temple. Women bought their offerings in clay pots decorated with colors, neem leaves and a diya on the top. They carried the pots on their head and accompanied by drum beaters and potharaju came to the temple and performed some special poojas by offering ‘bonam’ to the ammavaru. The offerings consisted of cooked rice, jaggery, curd and water.

The Chief Minister also prayed at Akkanna-Madanna temple at Hari Bowli. Speaking on the occasion, KCR greeted people and appealed to them to pray for the development of Telangana. He was accompanied with Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali, Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy and other leaders.
The month-long festivities in the state capital began early this month. Similar celebrations were held in Golconda and Secunderabad.

It is believed that the festival has its origin in 1869, when plague hit the city of Hyderabad. People thought the epidemic was a result of the Goddess’ anger and initiated the Bonalu offerings to pacify the goddess.

It is believed that bonam would ward off evils and epidemics during monsoon. The celebrations in Hyderabad will culminate Monday with the ‘Rangam’ programme (oracle prediction) at the Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple in Shah Ali Banda at 12 noon followed by the traditional procession on a caparisoned elephant carrying the Ghatams.

The procession will pass through the main thoroughfares of Shah Ali Banda, Charminar and Nayapul, where the Ghatams will be immersed in the Musi river in the evening. The temples that will participate in the procession are Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Mandir, Haribowli, Mateshwari Mutyalamna Temple, Bela, Bangaru Maisamma Temple, Shalibanda, Nalla Pochamma, Mahankali Temple, Muradmahal, Bangaru Maisamma Temple, Sultanshahi and Mahankali temples of Gowlipura, Lal Darwaza, Kotla Ali Jah and Miralam Mandi.

Apart from the Old City, Bonalu was celebrated at different Mahankali temples in Balkampet, Ameerpet, Punjagutta, Somajiguda, Khairatabad, M S Maktha, Nampally, Sultan Bazar, Koti, Begum Bazar, Basheerbagh, Yousufguda, Sanathnagar, Jubilee Hills, Mehdipatnam, Masab Tank, Toli Chowki, Golconda, Langar Houz, Karwan, Mangalhat, Dhoolpet and several places of Hyderabad city and its outskirts.