Telangana Diaspora celebrates Bonalu in Bahrain

The Telangana NRI community in Bahrain celebrated Bonalu with traditional rituals, Bonam offerings and Potharaju performances. The event, organised by the Telugu Kala Samiti, brought together Telangana families to pray for peace, prosperity and the preservation of their cultural heritage

By Gulf Correspondent

Dubai: The Telangana NRI community in Arabian Gulf countries is celebrating the vibrant Bonalu festival with great devotion, highlighting Telangana’s rich cultural and spiritual traditions.

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Amid escalating geopolitical tensions, Telangana NRIs in Bahrain came together to celebrate Bonalu and prayed for the peace and prosperity of the island nation.

Dozens of devotees gathered on Friday to offer Bonam and seek the blessings of Goddess Mahankali. The celebrations, organised by the Telugu Kala Samiti (TKS) of Bahrain, saw enthusiastic participation from several Telangana families. Indian Ambassador Vinod K Jacob was the chief guest at the event.

Senior officials of the Bahrain-based State Bank of India, Prashant Reddy and Shanmuga Raj, also attended the event.

The main attraction of the event was a traditional dance performance by three Potharajus, whose bodies were smeared with vermilion and turmeric paste.

“Potharaju and Bonalu are part of our inherited culture, and we carry them wherever we go,” said Akshay Myadi, a 26-year-old native of Korutla in Jagtial district, who designed the costumes for the Potharajus.

He said, “My father was working in Saudi when I was a child, and I used to perform as Potharaju and help with the make-up in my hometown along with my grandfather. Now I am doing it in Bahrain.”

“I feel I am in front of Goddess Mahankali in Hyderabad whenever I perform as Potharaju,” said Sri Ram of Hyderabad, who was the first person in Bahrain to perform as Potharaju four years ago.

Women leaders Kavita, Revathi, Binatha and Sandhya guided devotees in the rituals associated with the Bonam offering. The commentary and anchoring in the traditional Telangana dialect by Latha won praise from the audience. Sucharita and Usha Shetty decorated Ammavarlu in traditional attire.

“We, as the Telugu community in Bahrain, celebrate all festivals and believe in the diverse culture of Telugu people,” said Venkata Swamy, a Telangana leader in Bahrain.