Bonalu

Bonalu
Women with Bonam performing parikrama
Official name	Bonalu
Observed by	Telangana
Type	Festival of Deccan Shakti-Shaivite tradition. It is a cultural tradition of regional village Goddesses called Grama Shakti
Celebrations	On Sundays
Observances	Offering to the Goddess
Begins	Ashada masam (July/August)
Frequency	Annual

Bonalu( Telugu: బోనాలు) is a traditional Hindu festival centered on the Goddess Mahakali from Telangana.^[1] This festival is celebrated annually in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, as well as in other parts of the state.^[2] It is celebrated in the month of Ashada Masam, which is around July and/or August. Special "poojas" (worship/ ceremonies) are performed for Yellamma (one of the many regional forms of Mahakali) on the first and last day of the festival.^[3] The festival is also considered a thanksgiving to the Goddess for fulfillment of vows.^[4]

The word Bonam is a contraction of the word Bhojanam, a Sanskrit loanword which means a meal or a feast in Telugu. It is an offering to the Mother Goddess. Women prepare rice cooked with milk and jaggery in a new brass or earthen pot adorned with neem leaves, turmeric, vermilion and a lit lamp on top of the pot. Women carry the pots on their heads and make an offering of the Bonam along with turmeric-vermilion, bangles and sari to the Mother Goddess across the temples.^[2]

Bonalu involves the worship of Mother Goddess in regional forms like Maisamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Peddhamma, Dokkalamma, Ankalamma, Poleramma, Maremma, Nookalamma.