Bonalu (Telangana)

Understand

Where Bonalu (Telangana) comes from

Bonalu is the state festival of Telangana (and the central ritual-dance tradition of the Telugu region) celebrated in the months of Ashadham (June-July) and partially Shravan, particularly in Hyderabad and the surrounding districts. The festival is dedicated to the goddess Mahankali (a form of the village goddess of the region) and involves the women of the community preparing the Bonam (the cooked rice and the animal sacrifice in a decorated brass pot) and carrying it in procession to the village shrine. The festival is documented as one of the largest ritual-dance events of the Deccan and is now celebrated in Hyderabad, Warangal, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and throughout Telangana. The Telangana government recognises Bonalu as a state festival.

How it's practiced

Bonalu is performed by women of the Telangana community in procession, with each woman (or group of women) carrying the Bonam (the decorated brass pot of cooked rice) on the head. The dance is rhythmic and devotional, with the women performing coordinated steps to the sound of the dappu and the dhol, and singing the songs of the goddess (the Poli songs and the Amma-Nana songs). The procession leads to the central village shrine (the Mahankali temple), where the Bonam is offered to the goddess. The dance is repeated for several hours through the day, with the women taking turns to dance. Costume is the colourful Telangana sari (often the red, yellow and white half-sari) with the heavy silver jewellery and the floral ornaments of the festival. Performances run for several hours through the festival day.