Bonalu Festival Culminates at Lal Darwaja with Grand Celebrations

The vibrant and spiritually charged Bonalu festival in Hyderabad concludes today, marking the end of a month-long celebration of devotion, tradition, and cultural fervor. Beginning with the offering of the first bonam to Goddess Jagadambika Yellamma at Golconda Fort on the first Thursday of Ashada masam, the festivities have now reached their peak with the grand bonam offering at the revered Lal Darwaja Sri Simhavahini Mahankali Ammavari Temple in Old Basti.

From the early hours of the day, the temple premises have witnessed a massive influx of devotees, all arriving with utmost devotion to offer their bonam—an offering made of rice, jaggery, curd, and neem leaves placed in brass or earthen pots. The atmosphere reverberated with chants, drum beats, and devotional songs as priests performed Mahabhishekam and offered incense, lamps, and special rituals to the deity.

Lal Darwaja Temple, one of the key centers of Bonalu festivities, has been beautifully adorned with garlands, colorful lights, and intricate rangoli patterns. The temple’s spiritual and aesthetic ambiance drew not only worshippers but also tourists and cultural enthusiasts eager to witness this iconic Hyderabad tradition in all its glory.

As part of state traditions, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka arrived at the temple and presented silk robes (pattu vastralu) to the deity, a gesture symbolizing the government’s participation in and respect for the Bonalu heritage. This ceremonial act is considered highly auspicious and is a longstanding practice during the final day of Bonalu.

Endowment Minister Konda Surekha is scheduled to offer bonam to the goddess later in the day, continuing the age-old custom of political leaders and public representatives paying their respects during the closing day of Bonalu. These official offerings reinforce the communal and spiritual unity of the celebration.

Devotees, many dressed in traditional attire, participated in the processions with fervent dancing and drumming. Women carrying bonam on their heads walked in groups, accompanied by performers dressed as Pothurajus—the guardian figure who clears the path for the goddess. The sight was both moving and majestic, as generations came together to uphold this cultural legacy.

Bonalu, deeply rooted in the belief of divine protection and gratitude, especially toward Goddess Mahankali, reflects the emotional and spiritual bond of the people with their guardian deity. It is said to have originated as a thanksgiving ritual following the end of plague outbreaks in the 18th century, and has since become one of the most significant cultural festivals in Telangana.

As the sun sets today, the Bonalu festivities will conclude with Rangam (oracle prediction), and Ghatam processions through the streets of Hyderabad. These final rituals symbolize the goddess’s return to her heavenly abode, leaving behind blessings for prosperity, health, and peace for all her devotees. The end of Bonalu marks not just a spiritual finale, but a reaffirmation of Telangana’s rich cultural tapestry and the unyielding faith of its people.