HYDERABAD: The centuries-old Golconda Fort was filled with colour, devotion and music as thousands of devotees gathered on Sunday, the first Sunday of the month-long Bonalu festival in Hyderabad.
Women, young girls and transgender persons offered the traditional Bonam — a decorated pot filled with rice, jaggery, curd and neem leaves — to Goddess Jagadamba, the presiding deity of the Golconda temple. Leading the procession were the Pothurajus — bare-chested, smeared in turmeric and vermillion — who danced to drum beats, clearing the way for the goddess symbolically and spiritually. With whips in hand, they stomped in rhythm with the dappu drums.
Chants of “Jai Mata Di” and “Amma Bonalu” echoed through the fort as the procession began early and continued late into the night. Each Bonam, carried on the head, symbolised gratitude, protection and the fulfilment of vows.
Sharanya, a cross-dresser carrying the Bonam, said: “I have been coming here for 10 years. This is where the first Bonam in the city begins. Bonam means bhojanam — meal. When the goddess feeds us all year, why can’t we offer her a meal in return? This is why the Bonam is made from freshly harvested crops.”
Sharanya added: “Farmers do not eat the new harvest until it is offered to the goddess. Most offerings include food that cools the body, like curd rice or jaggery. We go into a trance when the goddess enters us and then carry the Bonam. It can be turmeric rice, pachipulusu, jaggery rice or toddy. During Ashada Masam, it is believed the goddess returns to her maternal home, and these offerings welcome her and seek her blessings for health and prosperity.”
Sharan, preparing as a Potharaju, said: “Potharaju is seen as the goddess’s younger brother. When the goddess enters the body of a Bonam carrier, Potharaju clears the path and protects them during the ritual. His dance is sacred.” Ramesh, another Potharaju, said: “It is a responsibility and spiritual calling. People believe I am possessed by the goddess’s brother. I fast, prepare and dance under the divine spell. It’s a state of surrender.”
Ravathi, a devotee, said: “Bonalu is not just a religious event. It celebrates Telangana’s cultural roots. Women, men and the transgender community come together to honour a tradition passed down generations. It is empowering for women and trans persons, who often lead the rituals and processions. On this day, no one questions our identity. We are daughters of the goddess like everyone else.”
As the sun set behind the fort, drummers continued their beats as devotees queued to climb to the sanctum of Goddess Jagadamba. Bonalu celebrations will continue across Hyderabad in the coming weeks, with processions to Mahankali temples in Lal Darwaza, Balkampet and Ujjaini Mahankali in Secunderabad.
Among the crowd was a group from Europe. “We came to tour Hyderabad and are lucky to witness one of Telangana’s oldest traditions. The sound, the colours, the emotion — it’s powerful,” said Julia from Germany. “What struck us most was the inclusiveness. Everyone is involved equally. There’s something deeply human and universal about this kind of devotion.”
Over 1,000 police personnel, including SHE Teams, crime teams and task force, were deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the festivities.
