- Bathukamma festival 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
- Ministry of Culture organized the celebration of Bathukamma festival being at Kartavyapath, India Gate, New Delhi, today.
- Bathukamma Festival is an annual celebration in Telangana that goes on for nine days and overlaps with the festival of Navratri.
- The festival is celebrated with colourful exotic flowers of the region and symbolises the collective spirit of the people of Telangana.
- This year Bathukamma celebrations are taking place from 25th of September till the 3rd of October.
- This festival is to pray to the Goddess for the health and achievements of each family.
- Young women of the Hindu household get to pray to the Goddess for a life partner of their choice.
- Bathukamma means “The Mother Goddess comes 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).
- 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 different flowers such as Marigold, Lotus, Senna.
- Some of the women dip a few flowers in vibrant colours and then arrange them in a wide plate and stack them in a pile.
- 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 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.
SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT