Question

Which is the folk festival where goddesses are worshipped by offering food?
A.Jatara
B.Bonalu
C.Urs
D.Peeri

Answer 1

Hint: This festival is celebrated in regional villages of Telangana by offering food to goddess Grama Sakti. It is a traditional Hindu festival centered on the goddess Mahakali. It is celebrated annually in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, as well as in other parts of the state. It is celebrated on Sundays in the month of Ashada Masam, which is around July and/or August.

Complete answer:
Bonalu is an annual festival celebrated in the state of Telangana in parts of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. During the festival, people take out processions on the road by dressing up as gods and goddesses.Rice cooked in milk and jaggery in earthen pots decorated with neem leaves and turmeric is carried by women on their heads and offered to goddess Grama Sakti. Along with the food, bangles, saree and sindoor are also offered to the goddess in temples across the states.

The festival commemorates the coming of Mahakali to visit her parents during the months of July and August. On the traditional day, women and young girls wear saree and jewelry. Everyone dances with earthen pots balanced on their heads to the beats of traditional music to honor the goddess.
It is believed that women who carry the Bonalu start possessing the spirit of the goddess and water is poured on their feet in order to calm them.
The festival ends with the immersion of Ghatam, the idol of the goddess by temple priests. The priests have to dress in traditional dhoti and cover their body with turmeric before performing the rituals.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note:Rangam is performed by the women on the next day of festival by standing on earthen pots in order to evoke goddess Mahakali in them. In older times, people also used to sacrifice a male buffalo in front of the temple premises in order to ward off evil spirits and energies. Nowadays, roosters are sacrificed and offered to the goddess. The same is then cooked at home as Prasand.