Bathukamma-2019: The Telangana Flower Festival begins

Bathukamma, the flower festival of Telangana, is being celebrated in state’s Warangal district. The nine-day long festival of flowers will be celebrated from 29 September to 6 October 2019. Bathukamma marks the beginning of Sharath Ruthu and it is widely celebrated by young girls and women.

About Bathukamma

What is Bathukamma?

The ‘Bathukammas’ are basically the cone shaped flower stack, at street corners and temples in the city. Women and young girls dances around these Bathukammas to shower their offerings. These Bathukammas’ are then later immerse in water.

The festival is celebrated towards the end of monsoon and heralds the abundance that nature has to offer. The festival begins on day of Mahalaya Amavasya, and is celebrated with much fanfare for 9 days.

Why is Bathukama Celebrated?

This floral festival is to pray to the Goddess for health and achievements of each family. The word Bathukamma means- ‘Mother Goddess come to life’. The festival represents the culture and identity of people of Telangana and involves the worship of Maha Gauri – “Life Giver” in form of Gauri Devi (patron goddess of womanhood).

How is it celebrated?

Preparing a Bathukamma is a folk art and requires careful attention. On a brass plate, called as tambalan, flowers of different colours are carefully arranged in circular rows, one layer on top of other. The Bathukamma then gradually increases in size and looks more vibrant and colourful and is kept before family goddess and prayers are offered.  With the onset of evening, women, in their best attires, put Bathukamma in their courtyard and encircle around it, and then sing songs which creates an ambience of peace and harmony. Before dusk, they carry it on their heads and immerse it in water and later they share the ‘maleeda’ (a dessert made with sugar and corn bread) among friends.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2019