Essay on “Bonalu” Festival
Bonalu is a folk festival celebrated in the Telangana region, Andhra Pradesh. This century-old tradition is observed with utmost gaiety and devotional fervour during the month of Asadh.
This one-month-long festival is marked by devotional singing and ritualistic worship of the village deities. The ‘Ghatams’ or decorated pots, filled with flowers, are the main attraction of the festival. The flower pots are carried on the heads by the womenfolk in a procession. Similarly cooked rice is also carried by women on their heads to the local goddess accompanied by male drummers.
Bonalu is celebrated chiefly in the cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. Sree Jagadambika Temple located on the top of the Golconda Fort attracts the maximum number of devotees from the region. The state government also performs puja officially on behalf of the people.
