Bathukamma… Bathukamma Uyyalo…Bangaru Bathukamma Uyyalo!
Bathukamma is not just a festival of flowers. It is the heartbeat of Telangana’s identity and a symbol of self-respect. It offers solace to every woman who has faced life’s struggles and celebrates the bond between soil, water, and flowers. Every chant of “Bathuku Amma” (Mother, grant us life) carries a heartfelt wish for well-being and prosperity. From Bhadrapada Amavasya to Durga Ashtami, for nine days the state of Telangana transforms into a vibrant celebration of colors, music, and tradition.
Nine glorious days of flowers
Bathukamma begins on Bhadrapada Amavasya and continues for nine days until Maha Navami, each day marked by a special form of Bathukamma and a unique offering (naivedyam). These daily rituals reflect the depth of Telangana’s culture and tradition.
1. Engilipula Bathukamma – (Day 1: Bhadrapada Amavasya)
Only gunuka and tangedu flowers are used. Offering: a mixture of sesame seeds and rice flour.
2. Atukula Bathukamma – (Day 2)
Offering flattened rice (atukulu), jaggery, and milk.
3. Muddapappu Bathukamma – (Day 3)
Offering soft boiled lentils( Muddapappu), milk, and jaggery.
4. Nanabiyyam Bathukamma – (Day 4)
Offering soaked rice with milk and jaggery.
5. Atla Bathukamma – (Day 5)
Offering of traditional pancakes (atlu/dosa).
6. Aligina Bathukamma – (Day 6)
A day of rest with no offerings, symbolizing a pause in the festivities.
7. Vepakayala Bathukamma – (Day 7)
Rice flour is shaped like neem fruits and offered.
8. Vennamuddala Bathukamma – (Day 8)
Offering sesame seeds, butter, and jaggery.
9. Saddula Bathukamma – (Day 9: Durga Ashtami)
The grand finale, with Bathukamma decorated using a variety of flowers and nine types of rice dishes, including curd rice, tamarind rice, coconut rice, sesame rice, lemon rice, peanut rice, and sweet rice.
A festival of nature
The making of Bathukamma reflects a deep love for nature. Seasonal flowers like gunuka (pink), tangedu (yellow), marigold, and chrysanthemum are carefully arranged in layers on a brass plate in the shape of a temple tower (gopuram). At the center, a small idol of Goddess Gauri is placed using turmeric.
In the evenings, women dressed in festive attire gather in circles, placing their Bathukammas in the center. They sing traditional songs, stories of gods, family ties, joys, and sorrows while rhythmically dancing around the flowers. After the celebrations, the Bathukammas are carried in a procession to lakes, ponds, or rivers for immersion. People believe that the medicinal properties of the flowers purify the water, reflecting Telangana’s age-old harmony between culture and ecology.
A symbol of women’s unity
Bathukamma is a festival led entirely by women, embodying sisterhood and collective strength. It is not just a celebration of life, but a reaffirmation of women’s resilience and the importance of community bonds.
Cultural revival and Telangana pride
More than a ritual, Bathukamma became a cultural emblem during the Telangana statehood movement. At a time when Telangana’s culture and language were being sidelined, the people proudly declared, “Maa Bathukamma Maaku Undi” (Our Bathukamma belongs to us). After the formation of Telangana in 2014, the festival was officially recognized as the State Festival. The government now organizes grand celebrations every year, and the festival has transcended borders Telugu communities across the world celebrate Bathukamma, taking Telangana’s heritage to a global stage.
Grand beginnings this year
Starting today, Bathukamma festivities will unfold across Telangana. The historic Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal has been decked up for the inaugural ceremony. Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, and Panchayati Raj Minister Seethakka will participate. Under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the Congress government has made elaborate arrangements to ensure that people of all communities can join in the celebrations. Heritage sites, famous temples, and tourist spots will host Bathukamma events over the next nine days.
Festival schedule
September 21 – Grand opening at Thousand Pillar Temple, Warangal (evening); tree plantation drive near Hyderabad (morning).
September 22 – Shilparamam, Hyderabad; Pillalamarri, Mahbubnagar.
September 23 – Buddhavanam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Nalgonda.
September 24 – Kaleshwaram Mukteshwara Temple, Bhupalpally; City Center, Karimnagar.
September 25 – Bhadrachalam Temple, Khammam; Jogulamba Alampur, Gadwal; State Art Gallery, Hyderabad (Art Camp until Sept 29).
September 26 – Ali Sagar Reservoir, Nizamabad; events in Adilabad and Medak; Necklace Road, Hyderabad (Morning Cycle Rally).
September 27 – Women’s Bike Rally at Necklace Road/Tank Bund (morning); Bathukamma Carnival in Hyderabad’s IT Corridor (evening).
September 28 – Guinness World Record attempt at LB Stadium, Hyderabad, with a 50-ft Bathukamma created by 10,000 women.
September 29 – People’s Plaza, Hyderabad: Best Bathukamma Competitions; special contests by Resident Welfare Associations and Hyderabad Software Enterprises Association.
September 30 – Grand Floral Parade at Tank Bund, Hyderabad, featuring a vintage car rally, Bathukamma lighting floats, a Japanese Ikebana exhibition, and a 3D laser mapping show on the Secretariat.
Bathukamma is more than a festival; it is a living tradition, a cultural manifesto, and a celebration of womanhood and nature. From village courtyards to world stages, this festival continues to bloom, carrying Telangana’s fragrance of pride across the globe.