Bonalu-Bonam Festival of Telangana- a Thanksgiving Ritual

- July 01, 2012

Bonalu jatra or festivity is celebrated in Hyderabad and Secunderabad in Telangana in the month of Ashada. Ashada comes in July – August every year. The festivity is a month long affair and calls for whole family participation. Elaborate poojas are performed for Goddess Yellamma,Muthyalamma, Mysamma, Pochamma, Pedamma, Dokkalamma, Ankalamma, Poleramma, Ganganamma, Maremma, Pochamma, Maramma, and Nookalamma .

‘Poleramma Jatara’ (temple fair of village deity), organised at Venkatagiri town in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.

'Bonam' means Bojanam or Bojanalu in Telugu language. It means first offering to the Goddess. As Aashada marks the change of Ayana (Uttarayana and Dkashinayana). So, it is the first offering to the Goddess made as thanksgiving and welcoming Dakshinayana. Some opine that Goddess visits her maternal home for vacation during Aashada month, so it is the duty of every individual to welcome her and make offerings to her during her stay.

Bonam means ‘food’ cooked rice offering in honour to Mother Goddess - Mahankali. Women bring cooked rice with milk, Jaggery, curd (yoghurt) some onions in earthen pot, covered with neem leaves, neem twigs, turmeric, vermilion or Kumkum and a lamp or diya on top. Women place the pots on their heads and take it to the Goddess temple, led by drummers and dancing men. Thus, the festivity acquired the name of Bonalu-plural of Bonam.

Some women fill the pot with turmeric water and offer to the Goddess along with neem leaves. This is called 'Saaka'. These Goddess are held responsible for checking and controlling chicken pox, measles, other forms of illness and viral infections. They are also held responsible for good rainfall, saver from drought, protector from natural calamities, village guarding and so on. It is a kind of thanksgiving to the Goddess for the fulfillment of vows and protecting the human race from ages.

The first main festival is held on the first Sunday of the Ashada month at the Sri Mahakali at Sri Jagadamba temple in Golconda Fort. This is also known as Aashada Jatara Utsavalu. The next main festival on the second Sunday at the Ujjain Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad. This is also called as Lashkar Bonalu, Balkampet Yellama temple.The third main festival on the third Sunday at the Matheswari Temple of Laldarwaja, Hyderabad. This is also called Sri Simhavahini Mahankali temple and Sri Akkanna and Madanna Mahankali temple at Lal Darwaza in Charminar, the old city of Hyderabad. The rituals are also performed in all the other mother Goddess temples in the twin cities.

Some women carrying Bonalu are believed to posses the spirit of mother Goddess Mahankali and the turmeric water saaka is poured on them to pacify the spirit.

During this Aashada month, Goddess at different temples, all across the twin cities is worshiped with different names like: Yellammma, Mysamma, Pochamma, Peddamma, Dokkalamma, Ankalamma, Poleramma, Maremm and so on.

Thottela:

Thottela is a triangular shape structure made with sticks covered with transparent colour papers. This is submitted to the temples by the devotees or group of devotees. I am not sure of the significance of 'Thottela'.

Rangam:

The next day of the Bonula celebration is Rangam day. It is on this day, an unmarried woman foretells about the fortune for the coming year. This woman remains unmarried all through her life and she ties a wedding knot to a sword and remains single in order to participate in the Rangam event.

After the Rangam event, the deity or the photo picture of the deity is carried on an elephant with lots of floral decoration along with musical bands procession. This is called 'Saganampu'.

Potharaju:

Potharaju is a man or men whose body/ ies are covered with turmeric paste and red vermilion dots all over, with anklets on feet who dance to the heavy rhythmic beats of the drum and carry a whip to lash. The processions are led by Potharaju, believed to the brother of the mother Goddess. Usually, Potharaju is a well-built man who embellishes the role.

One more version of the Bonalu celebration is that Mother Goddess comes to visit her maternal parents house. So, people go to receive her and greet her with sweet food, Thottela , women and men dancing and drum beats.---Quite interesting!!!