The 'Bonalu' festival, dedicated to Goddess Mahakali, is celebrated in which state?

Bonalu is a traditional Hindu festival of Telangana, dedicated to Goddess Mahakali and her various forms, such as Yellamma, Pochamma and Maisamma. It is celebrated mainly in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and in other parts of Telangana, in the month of Ashada (June-July).

The name "Bonalu" comes from "bonam", which means a meal in Telugu. During the festival, women prepare an offering of rice cooked with milk and jaggery, sometimes with curd and onion, in new brass or earthen pots. The pots are decorated with neem leaves, turmeric, vermilion and a lamp on top. Women, dressed in traditional saris, carry these pots on their heads to the temples, accompanied by drums and dancing, and offer them to the goddess as thanksgiving for the fulfilment of their wishes. The festival is believed to have started in 1813, when a plague broke out in Hyderabad and Secunderabad. People believed that the epidemic was caused by the anger of the goddess and made offerings to her to end it.

Bonalu is celebrated on different Sundays of Ashada at different temples. It begins at the Golconda Fort, at the Jagadamba temple, followed by the Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad and the Lal Darwaza Simhavahini temple in the Old City of Hyderabad. One of the highlights is the Potharaju, the brother of the goddess, represented by a well-built man with a bare body smeared with turmeric and vermilion, who dances at the front of the procession with a whip. On the day after Bonalu, a woman in a trance performs the "Rangam", predicting events for the coming year. Since 2014, Bonalu has been the state festival of Telangana.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Karnataka is known for festivals such as Mysuru Dasara and Karaga.
• ✗Odisha is known for the Rath Yatra and Raja Parba.
• ✗Maharashtra is known for Ganesh Chaturthi and Gudi Padwa.