"One of the central tenets of Hinduism is the concept of the Shakti, the feminine energy embodied by the universal mother who is revered in various forms across India. Currently, the mother goddess is being celebrated in the southern state of Telangana with an array of rituals that comprise the festival of Bonalu dedicated to Goddess Mahankali. The word ‘Bonalu’ means a meal or a feast in Telugu. It signifies the offering of rice cooked in milk and jaggery in new earthen pots which are presented to the goddess along with vermillion, turmeric, and bangles. . . Another important element of the festival is the ‘Rangam’ or the Oracle where a woman foretells the events of the next year by invoking the spirit of Mahankali on herself."
Read the article:
(photo copyright AFP/Getty)
