Telangana's Bonalu Festival Celebrations Across Telangana and Vijayawada

The Bonalu festival, a month‑long Hindu celebration dedicated to Goddess Mahakali, will be observed in Telangana from July 19 to August 9, 2026. The schedule begins with Tholi Bonam at the Sri Jagadamba Mahankali Temple in Golconda and continues with events at various temples, culminating with the main festivities at Lal Darwaza in Hyderabad's Old City. Devotees carry earthen pots filled with rice, jaggery, curd and water, accompanied by traditional drummers, the Pothuraju procession and kolatam performances.

On the same Ashada month, a delegation from Telangana presented a Bangaru Bonam to Goddess Kanaka Durga on Indrakeeladri Hill in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The offering, made by the Bhagyanagar Sri Mahankali Jatara Bonalu Utsavala United Temples Procession Committee, was attended by former Telangana minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and senior officials from both states. The ceremony included prayers for rain and a prosperous agricultural season, with police using drone‑assisted traffic management to ensure smooth movement of more than 500 artistes and devotees.