The Bonalu festival of Telangana is one of the iconic celebrations of the state, dating back to a cholera epidemic in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad in the 1800s.
Legend has it that Mahankali, the temple deity, saved the cities from a cholera epidemic in exchange for her idol being installed in the city. The annual festival has since become a hotbed of Telangana pride and is considered a state festival by many. Symbolism and ritual dominate Bonalu. As part of the ‘festivities,’ a cruel ritual takes place every year – in the name of religion. It is a tradition that continued over generations. It takes place every year in it’s most brutal form.
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Rituals require performers, and one is found every year who enacts the role of Potaraju – brother of Mahankali. In a procession along the city streets, he bares his tongue and attempts to imbibe the spirit of Potaraju and Mahankali within him. This requires a blood sacrifice. Identifying the exact role of this individual is tricky – for he is playing a part, enacting the role of Mahankali’s brother. Such personification and enactment is part of Indian cultural ritualism – the documentary ‘Monsoon Oracle’ explores these themes in depth.
In this ritual, Ramdas, a security guard by day takes on the role of Potaraju, the Mahankali’s brother/ protector. Smeared with Yellow paint and turmeric, an intoxicated Ramdas runs around the temple with two whips in his hand till he gets possessed by the spirit. People around him hold a sheep on their shoulders and show the animal to him. After a few rounds, the animal is held down in front of the actor, who gnaws into its throat with his teeth.
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