Auckland Hosts Vibrant Bonalu Festival Celebrating Hindu Tradition

The annual Bonalu festival was celebrated in Auckland on July 20, 2023, by the New Zealand Telangana Central Association and Telangana Association of New Zealand. Hundreds of devotees gathered to honor the Hindu goddess Mahakali, a significant figure in the cultural traditions of the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Women adorned in traditional attire carried bonalu—offerings composed of rice, jaggery, yogurt, and water, contained in pots decorated with turmeric and neem leaves—on their heads. These offerings are central to the festival, as participants perform a parikrama ritual, circling the temple in a clockwise direction as a sign of devotion. The bonalu are then presented to the goddess, with devotees seeking her blessings.

The origins of Bonalu, as noted by the Indian government, trace back to the 19th century in Hyderabad. During a devastating plague, a military battalion prayed to Mahakali for relief, believing that she helped eradicate the disease. In gratitude, they established an idol in her honor, establishing a lasting tradition.

In Auckland, the bonalu ritual took place at the Shri Ganesha Temple in Papakura and the Mt Eden War Memorial Hall. Celebrations included a communal meal featuring sacred offerings known as mahaprasadam, emphasizing the festival’s communal and spiritual aspects.

Kalyan Rao Kasuganti, president of the New Zealand Telangana Central Association, highlighted the multifaceted nature of the celebrations. “Apart from the traditional bonalu procession, we also performed other rituals including dravya abhishekam, where we bathe the deity with milk, water, or honey, and shakambari alankaranam, which involves decorating the goddess with vegetables. We concluded with thrishathi archana, chanting the goddess’ 300 names,” he explained.

Kasuganti emphasized that this year’s Bonalu served as a powerful symbol of devotion, cultural pride, and community spirit. The festival not only brings people together but also fosters a deeper connection to their heritage, reinforcing the importance of such cultural celebrations within the diaspora.

The successful observance of Bonalu in Auckland reflects the vibrant and diverse cultural tapestry of New Zealand’s Indian community, showcasing how traditional practices can thrive in a contemporary setting.