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Minneapolis: Minnesota Area Telangana Association (MATA) celebrated first ever Bonalu-vanabojanam event in Minneapolis on September 1st, 2013 at Hyland park in Bloomington with a huge crowd of people attending this event.
The event started with traditional Bonalu carried by ladies in procession to the Goddess Durga decorated with flowers and leaves at a nearby tree in the park. Traditional Bonalu Pooja was performed with aarthi and then theertha prasadam served to all the families. Food was served from local Persis restaurant, which was good and everyone enjoyed it.
Many fun games were conducted for large number of kids that attended this event. All the kids were given prizes, with not only the winners and runners. Families enjoyed the games cheering their kids, with ladies also participating in a game or two.
MATA president Ravi Sagi thanked all the volunteers and sponsors for their support. He also informed about MATA’s upcoming big event Dasara Bathukamma on October 19th at Olson Middle school in Bloomington and encouraged everyone to attend that event and make it successful.
This event would not have been successful without the tireless efforts from Vice President Sudhakar Japa, Treasurer Bhagwan Reddy, Joint Secretary Rajasekhar Bachigari, Ramesh Ravva, Laxman Sunkam, Pavan Koyada, Rakesh kamjula, Ramesh Komakula, Srinivas Gaddam, Narendar Ande, Srinivas Mamidi, Nagender Nella,Sarathi Talla, Naveen and many others.
Organizers also thanked all the families and visiting elders for coming to the event, making it memorable for them to attend Bonalu in a foreign country far away from home.
MATA, a Non Profit organization is striving to preserve the Telangana culture and educate the younger generation to be familiar with their traditional roots. MATA also is organizing many community events regularly in Twin cities in the last three years.
MATA distributed a total of 15,000 long note books to 15 rural government schools in Andhra Pradesh this academic year for the benefit of poor and needy.