About Bathukamma Panduga-Telangana's 9-day Floral Festival
Bathukamma Festival is Telangana State's Floral Festival. This festival has been an important part of the Telangana movement, hence it has been accorded the "State Festival" status by the newly formed Telangana State Government in the year 2014. This festival is the manifestation of the feelings of the people, especially the women of Telangana towards their culture and traditions.
Bathukamma festival depicts how Telangana Hindu women link their celebrations with nature.
This festival begins with young girls and women collecting beautiful and colourful flowers which are then arranged uniquely in a circle form or concentric form and then layered one over other to form a cone-shaped flower bed. This is later immersed in a nearby waterbody like a pond or a lake. Bathukamma is celebrated in the month of September or October after the monsoon sets in and the trees are full of flowers like "tangedu poolu" , "gunuka poolu", banti, chamanti, etc. Married women visit their maternal homes during this festival and play Bathukamma along with other women in their neighbourhood.
This year, the Bathukamma festival has started on September 20, 2017. It is celebrated for 9 days during Devi Navaratri from Bhadrapada amavasya (or Mahalaya Amavasya or pitru amavasya) till Durgastami (Saddula Bathukamma or Pedda Bathukkama festival). During these 9 days, '9' different forms of Bathukamma are celebrated.
The Bathukamma 9 days names are:
1. Engilipoola Bathukamma:
This form is celebrated on the 1st day i.e. on Mahalaya Amavasya day. Flowers should not be plucked on Amavasya day. So, they are collected on a day before and immersed in water, so that they stay fresh, hence the name "engilipoola Bathukamma". Women give away betel leaves and tulsi leaves as vayanam to each other.
Food offered: Til/sesame seeds with rice flour or coarsely ground wet rice.
2. Atkula Bathukamma:
This form is celebrated on the 2nd day or on Padyami thiti which falls on the 1st day of Ashwayuja masam. Women gather at one place and play Bathukamma by singing songs and making rounds around it. In the evening, they immerse the Bathukamma in a nearby pond or lake. Atkulu or beaten or flattened rice is given as vayanam to other women.
Food offered: Bland lentils, jaggery, and atkulu.
Flowers used are: Tangedu, gunugu, banti (marigold), chamanti, adavi gaddi pulu, etc are collected. These flowers are arranged in 2 layers of different colours as concentric circles on a brass plate.
3. Muddapappu Bathukamma:
This form is celebrated on the 3rd day which falls on the Vidiya thiti. Flowers are arranged in 3 layers. Gouramma (which is prepared using haldi) is placed on top of the Bathukamma. In the morning, pooja is done and in the evening, women play Bathukamma and leave it in the nearby waterbody.
Food offered: Muddapappu, milk and jaggery.
Flowers used are: Chamanti, hibiscus (mandaram), seethamma jada, rama banam flowers are used.
4. Nanabiyyam Bathukamma:
This form is celebrated on the Tritiya thiti. Four layers of flower decoration are done in alternate colours and gouramma is placed on top of it.
Food offered: Soaked wet rice along with milk and jaggery.
Flowers used: Tangedu and gunugu
5. Atta Bathukamma
This form is celebrated on the 5th day or on the Chaturdi thiti. Five layers of flower decoration are prepared using five different flowers in alternate layers.
Food offered: Uppidi pindi atlu or dosa.
Flowers used: Tangedu, gunugu, chamanti, mandara (hibiscus), and gummadi flowers.
6. Aligina Bathukamma:
This form is celebrated on the 6th day of the festival on the Panchami thiti.
Food offered: Nothing
Flowers used: Bathukamma is not made.
According to folklore, centuries back when women were arranging Bathukamma, accidentally someone touched flesh pieces. Hence, on that day, no Bathukamma is made or played.
7. Vepakayala Bathukamma:
Vepakayala Bathukamma is arranged on the 7th day or on the Sashti thiti. Seven layers of flower arrangement are done.
Food offered: Rice flour is made as small balls and is shaped as neem fruits and deep fried and offered to Bathukamma.
Flowers used: Tangedu, gunugu, chamanti, rose, etc.
8. Vennamuddala Bathukamma:
This 8-layered flower arrangement is done on the 8th day or on the Saptami thiti. In the evening, women go to Hanuman temple, sing and play Bathukamma songs and immerse it in the lake nearby.
Food offered: Sesame seeds along with ghee and jaggery.
Flowers used: Tangedu, gunugu, chamanti, rose, gaddi pulu, etc.
9. Saddula Bathukamma:
On the last day, Saddula Bathukkam is celebrated. This is celebrated on the ashtami thiti day, which is Durgastami day.
Food offered: 5 types of rice is prepared like curd rice, tamarind rice, lemon rice, coconut rice, and sesame rice.
Flowers used: all the above flowers are used to arrange the Bathukamma.
For Bathukamma songs, you can visit the below links:
Bathukamma songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X07uD7CscRI
For overseas events and celebrations:
http://telanganatourism.gov.in/bathukamma/overseas-events.html
