When is Bathukamma?
Bathukamma Festival is a nine-day festival observed in the Indian state of Telangana.
The first day is a public holiday in Telangana and the festival ends on Durgastami, two days before Dussehra. This means it takes place in September or October in the Gregorian calendar.
Traditions of Bathukamma
This origin of this traditional festival has several stories associated with it.
Our favourite is the one about King Dharmangada. Dharmangada was a Chola Dynasty King who used to rule South India. His rule came at a high cost - he and his wife had a hundred sons who all died in battle. The King and his wife prayed to the Goddess Lakshmi for one more child. Lakshmi answered the prayers and the royal family were blessed with a baby daughter, who they named Lakshmi. This is the reason for the name Bathukamma, which means 'Mother Goddess come alive'.
The baby girl liked flowers, which is why Bathukamma is celebrated with flowers, many of which have medicinal purposes.
An alternative legend is that the Goddess Gauri, after a fierce fight defeated the demon 'Mahishasura'. The battle took so much energy from Gauri that she fell into a deep sleep due to fatigue. During Bathukamma, Hindu devotees pray for her to wake from her slumber using medicinal flowers.
The festival is also dedicated to Goddess Parvati as it is believed that the Goddess Sati returned as Goddess Parvati on Bathukamma.
Whatever version you prefer, with Bathukamma coming at the end of the monsoon season, when the flowers are in full bloom, this a spectacular and colourful floral festival.
During the festival, beautiful flower stacks are arranged in seven concentric layers in the shape of a temple. Commonly used flowers are Celosia, Senna, Marigold, Lotus, Cucurbita and Cucumis. In the past, all the flowers would have to be wild; nowadays bought flowers are allowed.
On the last day of Bathukamma (Saddula Bathukamma), the floral displays are taken to the river to be immersed in water.
Women come together and sing Bathukamma songs. The songs are usually stories related to females with subjects such as sisterhood, the pains of women, mother-in-laws, pregnancy and so on.
Each day of the festival has its own name:
Day 1: Engili pula Bathukamma
Day 2: Atkula Bathukamma
Day 3: Muddapappu Bathukamma
Day 4: Nanabiyyam Bathukamma
Day 5: Atla Bathukamma
Day 6: Aligina Bathukamma
Day 7: Vepakayala Bathukamma
Day 8: Vennamuddala Bathukamma
Day 9: Saddula Bathukamma
