Bathukamma -2019 The Telangana Flower Festival

Why is Bathukama Celebrated?

This festival is to pray to the Goddess for health and achievements of each family. Young women of the Hindu household get to pray to the Goddess for a husband of their choice. It also is a chance to teach the young girls on how to take care of their future husband and in-laws.

Meaning of Bathukama

Bathukamma means "Mother Goddess come to life". It represents the culture and identity of the people of Telangana and involves the worship of Maha Gauri - "Life Giver" in the form of Gauri Devi (patron goddess of womanhood).

Preparations for Bathukama Festival

The festival involves young women arranging flowers in stacks and making rangoli to start the celebrations. The men also help celebrate this festival, by aiding in the preparations like by collecting the different vibrant colour flowers such as Marigold, Lotus, Senna. Some of the women dip a few flowers in various vibrant colours and then arrange them in a wide plate, stacked.

Performing the Rituals

The rituals of this festival are performed by the Hindu women, especially young girls, who gather around in large numbers in their local areas during the evening time. Forming a circle, they then form a circle and perform the ritual which involves them singing a folk song and revolving around the Bathukamma, all the while clapping their hands and walking in synchronised steps. This entire performance is to invoke the blessings of the goddess for good health and prosperity for their families.

This nine days festival that concludes on Durgashtami includes a kind of food offering every day which are easy to prepare so young girls can participate as well. On the last day, there is a massive celebration with drums, music and energy of the people as they take the Bathukamma to the water bodies to immerse them. The women carry the stacks of flowers on their head to the nearest large water body. Since everything used during the festival is biodegradable, there is no harm done to the water bodies. This entire ritual is a visual treat for everyone on the outside. One is travelled to a different world when witnessing this and so this festival should be on your checklist.

Nine Days of Bathukama - Saddula and Pedda Bathukamma

• Engili pula Bathukamma
• Atkula Bathukamma
• Muddapappu Bathukamma
• Nanabiyyam Bathukamma
• Atla Bathukamma
• Aligina Bathukamma
• Vepakayala Bathukamma
• Vennamuddala Bathukamma
• Saddula Bathukamma

When is the Bathukamma 2019?

Celebrated during September and October, it comes in the latter half of monsoon. The rain fills the dry lakes and ponds and the nine days celebration of this vibrant festival looks even more beautiful. It is celebrated from the 28th of September to the 6th of October in the year 2019.

Origin Story of Bathukama

There are a few myths on how the festival came into being in the Hindu religion. One of them being that in the Chola Dynasty, A king named Dharmangada used to rule South India. His wife had lost a hundred sons and was now praying to Goddess Lakshmi for another child and then they were blessed with a girl. She survived a lot of unforeseen accidents as a child and hence was named Bathukamma. The festival is eagerly looked forward by the Hindu women so they can pray for the health and prosperity of their household from the "Mother of Life".

The festival brings out the beauty of nature is the entire celebration is eco-friendly. The preparations and rituals are so colourful and unique that they bring joy and happiness even to the audience.