The icon of cultural identity of Telangana : Bathukamma

११.The icon of cultural identity of Telangana : Bathukamma

                  -   Miss.Vaishnavi Bacchewar     

               Bathukamma is Telangana's flower festival it is a colourful and vibrant festival of Telangana and celebrated by women with flowers that grow exclusively in every region.Bathukamma comes during the latter half of monsoon before the onset of winter. The monsoon rains usually bring plenty of water into the freshwater ponds of Telangana and it is also the time when flowers bloom in various vibrant colour all across the uncultivated and barren plains of the region.      

            Bathukamma celebrates the inherent relationship between earth, water and human beings. Every year the festival is celebrated as per satavahana calendar for 9 days starting from  Bhadrapad Purnima till 'Durgashtami' usually in September and October months of the Gregorian calendar.  

                      Historically it is the festival of life but it also marks the celebration of feminity in the Deccan region during which women of Telangana play an important role in this festival. This festival has many myths behind its festivity. According to the Hindu religion, scholars and pandits one myth regarding goddess Gauri is that after the fierce fight she killed 'Mahishasura' the demon, then she went into deep sleep due to fatigue of this seroius act on the 'Aswayuja Pandyami day'.  All the Hindu religion devotees strongly prayed with devotion and dedication for her to woke up. It is to be noted that she woke up on  'Dashmi day'.

           In one complete week the people make small and big Bathukamma and play around them every evening and immerse in a nearby water pond . On the last day a lot of Bathukamma are placed in a courtyard the women of neighborhood also gathered and are formed in a large circles around it. They start singing songs by circling it repeatedly. All women get ready beautifully  in traditional attire and play around the Bathukamma and specifies the significance of unity, love and sisterhood.

        Bathukamma is a adherent lover of flowers. The seasonal flowers such as Celosia flower, Cassia auriculata flower, Cucurbita flower, Ajwain flower, Marigold flower, Chrysanthemum flower, etc. are arranged on a square or circular bamboo frame or wooden plank with the size of frames. It looks like a shape of temple top tower or gopura. On the top of the flowers a lump of turmeric is kept. The worship of goddess Bathukamma is done with this little floral mountain.

                   The other version of Bathukamma is that there was a king named 'Dharmangada' who belonged to the chola dynasty. This particular king largely ruled over South India his wife named 'Satyavati'. The couple lost their hundred sons in the war. So, they prayed and performed ritual to goddess Laxmi to be born as their daughter. The goddess heard it and immediately obliged them. On the birth many scholars and pandits visited at the royal place and blessed her by calling 'Bathukamma'. According to Telugu language 'Bathuku' means 'life' and 'Amma' means 'mother'. "Mother goddess comes alive".

              This festival of life is celebrated to thank goddess  Parvati for her blessings for the  crop harvest and income every year.During the entire proceeding week, women make Gauri with earthly mud along with Bathukamma and immerse it in pond this helps reinforce the ponds and helps it retain more water. The flowers used in Bathukamma have a great quality of purifying water and such flowers immersed in abundance into the pond create the effect of cleaning the water and make environment much better.

                  It is festival for feminine felicitation it is celebrated for 9 days and each day festival is called by different names , the first day is Angili  Bathukamma which is followed by Attukula Bathukamma, Muddapappu Bathukamma, Nanbiyam Bathukamma, Atla Bathukamma, Aligina Bathukamma, Vepakayala Bathukamma, Venna muddala Bathukamma and finally Saddula Bathukamma .

                    The festival heels the beauty of nature collective spirit of Telangana people, the indomitable spirit of women folks and also the scientific approach of the Gregorian people towards preserving the resources of nature in a celebrative way. This Bathukamma is a unique festival of flowers in Telangana. Wishing a bountiful harvest of happiness and love on this auspicious day!!

           After playing circles around Bathukamma before the onset of dusk, the women folk carry them on their heads and move towards a big water body near the village or town. The procession is extremely colourful with the decorations of women by singing Bathukamma songs in chorus throughout the procession and streets. Finally they reach water pond and Bathukammas are slowly immersed into water. They share Malida made with sugar and wheat flour and sweets among the family members.

                            

        - Vaishnavi Rajeshwar Bacchewar 

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