🍯 Bonalu
Telangana Special Festival - Goddess Festival
📅 July-August 2026 (Ashada Month)
📜 Bonalu Story & Significance
Bonalu is a unique Telangana festival. "Bonam" means food. Offering food to village goddesses like Mahankali, Yellamma, Pochamma, Mysamma is the main ritual of this festival.
In the 19th century, when plague spread in Hyderabad, people prayed to Mahankali and the disease subsided. Since then, this festival has been celebrated.
🏛️ Famous Bonalu Temples
Golkonda Jagadamba
Golkonda Fort
Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali
Secunderabad
Lal Darwaza Mahankali
Old City
Balkampet Yellamma
Balkampet
🎯 Bonalu Traditions
- 🍯 Bonam - Offering rice, milk, jaggery in new pot
- 👩 Women carrying Bonam on head to temple
- 💃 Rangam - Possessed woman predicting future
- 🐐 Animal sacrifice (in some areas)
- 🔥 Potterla Theertham procession
- 🎵 Dappu, Dolak drums
- 👕 Wearing red, yellow clothes
🔮 Rangam
Rangam is the main ritual in Bonalu. It is believed that Goddess Mahankali possesses a woman and predicts the future about the coming year. Thousands gather to witness this Rangam.
🗓️ Bonalu Celebrations Schedule
Bonalu is celebrated in Ashada month (July-August). Different areas celebrate in different weeks:
- First Week: Golkonda Jagadamba - Bonalu begins
- Second Week: Secunderabad Ujjaini Mahankali
- Third Week: Lal Darwaza Mahankali
- Fourth Week: Balkampet Yellamma - Bonalu concludes
🎊 Telangana State Festival
After Telangana state formation in 2014, Bonalu was recognized as an official state festival. Telangana government allocates special funds for this festival.
During Bonalu, grand processions and cultural programs are held in Hyderabad city. This festival reflecting Telangana culture is celebrated joyfully by lakhs of people.