What is the Significance Behind the Bonalu Festival in Telangana | Eyetv Entertainments
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It is specific to Telangana and is dedicated to the worship of Shakti in the form of various Grama Devatas.Though celebrated all over Telangana, it is the celebrations in Hyderabad that are really well known.
It is a corruption of the word Bhojanalu( meals or a feast) where devotees offer cooked food to the Ammavaru.
The women carry earthen pots containing rice cooked with jaggery, milk, decorated with Neem,Haldi and also offer Kumkum, Saree, Bangles to the Ammavaru.The festivities is believed to have started in Secunderabad during 1813, after a deadly plague broke out in the city. The Hindu Soldiers of the Hyderabad Battalion were then in Ujjain, and they prayed to Mahankali to save city from plague.They promised to build a temple to her in Secunderabad if the plague went away. The plague was curbed, and in gratitude the soldiers built the temple for Ujjain Mahankali in Secunderabad.Since then, Bonalu has been a regular celebration in Hyderabad/Secunderabad, as a Thanksgiving festival of sorts.
Incidentally the two major festivals of Telangana,Bonalu, Bathukamma are both women oriented, stressing importance of Shakti. It is also believed to be the time when the Ammavaru, comes to her parent's home in Ashadha month, and is worshiped .The celebrations are actually spread out in various parts of Hyderabad, Secunderabad , some though are very famous.Basically Ammavaru is worshiped in different forms like Pedamma, Mysamma, Mahankali, Yellama during Bonalu.
In Hyderabad you have temples dedicated to village deities in every major neighborhood, some very famous. It starts off with celebrations at Jagadamba Manhankali Temple in Golkonda Fort here on 1st Sunday of Ashadam.
Called as the Golkonda Bonalu, this kick starts the celebrations that continue for around 2 weeks.On 2nd Sunday of Ashada, it is observed at Yellama Temple, Balkampet and Ujjain Mahankali Temple, Secunderabad.
On 3rd Sunday, it is observed at Katte Maisama Pochamma Temple, Chilakalguda .
Akkanna Madanna Temple at Shah Ali Banda is also famous for Bonalu celebrations.Akkanna and Madanna were two Hindu nobles in the court of Tana Shah, the last Qutub Shahi Sultan, and they built the temple at Shalibanda
Some women go into a trance during Bonalu believed to be possesed by spirit of Ammavaru.
One more feature of Bonalu are the Pothurajus who are believed to the Ammavaru's brothers and dance in procession.
