Bathukamma :
Batukamma is a spring festival celebrated by women in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. This festival usually is in the months of September/October (Aswiyuja), concludes two days before Dussera on durgashtami.
The name Batukamma is given to a flower mound, arranged with different flowers usually in seven concentric layers of potter’s clay like a cone.
Batuku means live, and Amma means mother, hence Batukamma. Batukamma celebrates the glory of Gauri goddess (meaning fair or white) - the patron Goddess of womanhood [1].
This festival is an all-woman affair. Women celebrate this festival dressed-up traditionally in silk sarees, wear Jewelery and girls in a two-piece saree called as Langa oni, and participate with great fervour.
The name Batukamma is given to a flower mound, arranged with different flowers usually in seven concentric layers of potter’s clay like a cone.
Batuku means live, and Amma means mother, hence Batukamma. Batukamma celebrates the glory of Gauri goddess (meaning fair or white) - the patron Goddess of womanhood [1].
This festival is an all-woman affair. Women celebrate this festival dressed-up traditionally in silk sarees, wear Jewelery and girls in a two-piece saree called as Langa oni, and participate with great fervour.
The Ritual:
In the evenings, women gather different kinds of unique seasonal flowers, some coloured, some scented and arrange them on a wide plate called as tambalamu, in the shape of a conical mound.
Women then gather in large numbers along with their batukammas in their locality, place them in the middle and dance around them, synchronizing steps and claps in unison, and singing soul stirring batukamma folk songs.
After the singing and dancing, batukammalu are set afloat in a lake or river.
This festival goes on for seven days and concludes on Durgastami, the main festival day is called Saddula Batukamma. On this day they celebrate into wee hours and later go to a nearby village lake to set their Batukamma afloat. Lakes with floating batukammas in the evenings is a treat to the eyes.
Maleeda,a sweet made of jaggery, is prepared on this day.
Women then gather in large numbers along with their batukammas in their locality, place them in the middle and dance around them, synchronizing steps and claps in unison, and singing soul stirring batukamma folk songs.
After the singing and dancing, batukammalu are set afloat in a lake or river.
This festival goes on for seven days and concludes on Durgastami, the main festival day is called Saddula Batukamma. On this day they celebrate into wee hours and later go to a nearby village lake to set their Batukamma afloat. Lakes with floating batukammas in the evenings is a treat to the eyes.
Maleeda,a sweet made of jaggery, is prepared on this day.
Type
Spring festival of Goddess Gauri
Begins
Aswiyuja
Ends
Durgashtami
Date
September/October
Celebrations
7 days
Related to
Dussehra
Spring festival of Goddess Gauri
Begins
Aswiyuja
Ends
Durgashtami
Date
September/October
Celebrations
7 days
Related to
Dussehra
1 comment:
bathukamma festival will be celebrated not only in Telagana State but across the worldby the telagana people who lives in other places of the world.
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