Festivities blending tradition & gaiety mark Bathukamma finale

Warangal: The Bathukamma fiesta in Telangana is a unique and enchanting celebration that blends culture, tradition, and gaiety. The finale known as Saddula Bathukamma celebrated at the Padmakshi Hillock foothills in Hanumakonda on Thursday was no different as a congregation of thousands of women worshipped Goddess Durga Devi by singing and playing for her blessings.

The festival venue sandwiched between hillocks presents an electrifying atmosphere with women clad in traditional clothes and glittering jewellery carrying a conical-shaped stack of seven concentric layers of flowers, Bathukammas.

They sang and danced to foot-tapping numbers like Rama Rama Rama Uyyalo – Ramane Sri Rama Uyyalo, besides the age-old album of ‘Bathukamma, Bathukamma Uyyalo - Bangaru Bathukamma Uyyalo’, resonating the hillocks. Before the fiesta began, it appeared that sudden showers may play spoilsport, but the clouds cleared quickly much to the relief of people. Some say that rain gods are customary visitors on the finale of Bathukamma.

The nine-day Bathukamma that commenced on Bhadrapada Amavasya, also known as Pethra Amavasya, ended with Saddula Bathukamma on a bright note. Meanwhile, people had a tough time in finding traditionally used flowers – Gunugu (Celosia Argentea), Thangedu (Cassia Alata), Gummadi (gourd flower), Tamera (Indian Lotus), Jilledu (Calotropis), Dosa (Cucumis), Ganneru (Oleander), Katla (Ipomoea), Beera (Luffa), Gaddi (Tridax procumbens), Banti (Marigold), and Oma (Ajwain) for the preparation of Bathukamma. The administration made elaborate arrangements at the Padmakshi Temple, Ranga Leela Maidan in Warangal and other lakes where the women gathered to play Bathukamma.