Bonalu 2025 Begins June 26: Telangana Gears Up for a Month-Long Celebration of Tradition and Devotion

Telangana’s vibrant and deeply traditional festival, Bonalu, is all set to begin on June 26, 2025, marking the start of a month-long spiritual and cultural celebration. The festivities will commence with special rituals and pujas at the historic Sri Yellamma (Jagadambika) Temple located inside Golconda Fort, Hyderabad.

Celebrated with unmatched zeal and devotion, Bonalu is one of Telangana’s most cherished festivals, observed by thousands of devotees across the state. The festival usually starts on a Thursday or Sunday following the first full moon day of the Ashada month. Since the new moon falls on June 25 this year, the celebrations will begin the very next day.

Following the inaugural rituals at Golconda, Bonalu celebrations will take place in phases at major Mahakali temples across Hyderabad. Two key venues that witness massive footfall during Bonalu are:

• Ujjaini Mahakali Temple in Secunderabad
• Lal Darwaja Mahakali Temple in Hyderabad’s Old City

These temples will host grand Bonalu events in the following weeks, with processions, special offerings, and traditional performances attracting huge crowds.

The festival will conclude on the last day of Ashada month with a special puja at the Yellamma Temple, once again at Golconda Fort, signifying the end of the sacred observance.

A key highlight of Bonalu is the offering of 'bonam'—decorated pots filled with rice, jaggery, and curd—carried by women in traditional attire to the temples as an offering to Goddess Mahakali. These offerings are often accompanied by folk songs, drum beats, processions, and traditional dances, showcasing the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Bonalu not only represents devotion to the goddess but also reflects the deep-rooted traditions and communal spirit of the people of Telangana.