Bathukamma Festival

Centuries ago, there resided a monarch and a queen who were blessed with a hundred sons. Legend has it that all their sons perished in a battle, prompting the couple to beseech the goddess Lakshmi to be reborn as their daughter. Witnessing the unwavering devotion of the couple, the goddess incarnated as Princess Lakshmi, also known as Bathukamma (meaning 'live O child'). She possessed extraordinary beauty and had a profound love for flowers. Subsequently, girls and women in the household began worshipping the goddess Bathukamma with flowers. The nine-day long festival not only commemorates life but also honors women. Commencing on Mahalaya Amavasya and concluding two days prior to Dussehra, the festival coincides with the Navratri celebrations. Bathukamma is a floral arrangement arranged in concentric circles, using seasonal flowers with medicinal properties. The men of the family gather these flowers, while the women artfully arrange them on plates known as Thambalam. Each of the nine days is associated with a specific name based on the Naivedyam (food offering) prepared. The majority of these dishes are crafted from simple ingredients, often involving children in the household in the preparation process. On the 9th day, known as Saddula Bathukamma, the women of the household prepare a naivedyam consisting of 5 varieties of rice. On this day, women encircle the Bathukamma, dancing and singing traditional folk songs. Before sunset, they carry their beautifully adorned Bathukammas and immerse them in large bodies of water. Bathukamma epitomizes the essence of Telangana and has been officially recognized as a state festival.