Bathukamma Celebrations In Telangana: Significance And Rituals  

Hyderabad: Bathukamma is a floral festival celebrated in the state of Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh. It is a colorful and vibrant festival celebrated by women with a variety of flowers in each region. Bathukamma represents cultural spirits of Telangana. Bathukamma is celebrated by the women folk of Telangana, heralding the beauty of nature in vibrant colors of multitudinous flowers.

'Bathukamma' means 'Mother Goddess Come Alive'. Goddess Mahagauri, life-giver is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma.

Bathukamma comes during the latter half of monsoon, before the onset of winter mostly by the end of September or in the first week of October. The festival usually begins before the 'Saddula Bathukamma' which falls two before Dussehra.

Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack arranged with different unique seasonal flowers in several concentric layers.

On this special occasion, women dress up gracefully in the traditional colorful sarees with jewels and other accessories. For nine days, they make small ‘Batukammas’, play around them calpping their hands every evening and immerse them in a nearby water pond. Then they share the ‘maleeda’ (a dessert made with sugar or raw sugar and corn bread) sweets amongst the family members and neighborhood folks every evening during the gatherings for bathukamma.

Songs of folklore are sung by the women in chorus building a beautiful human circle of unity, love, and sisterhood.

For nine days of the festival, each day a special dish is prepared and offered to the goddess.

Bathukamma celebrates the inherent relationship between earth, water, and human beings. It speaks the collective spirits of Telangana people. Hence Bathukamma is the icon of the cultural identity of Telangana.

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