Bathukamma

Bathukamma is a flower-festival celebrated by Telugu Hindu women of Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh. Every year this festival is celebrated as per the Sathavahana calendar for nine days starting on Pitru Amavasya, which usually coincides with the months September–October of the Gregorian calendar. Bathukamma is celebrated for nine days and corresponds to the festivals of Sharad Navratri and Durga Puja. It starts on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya and the 9-day festivities culminate on "Saddula Bathukamma" or "Pedda Bathukamma." Bathukamma is followed by Boddemma, which is a 7-day festival. The Boddemma festival that marks the ending of Varsha Ruthu whereas Bathukamma marks the beginning of Sarad or Sharath Ruthu.

In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma' means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’. Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of a temple gopuram. It is usually brothers who bring flowers to their mother and sisters to arrange bathukamma.

Historically, Bathukamma meant "the festival of life". It also marks the celebration of femininity in the Deccan region, during which women of Telangana dress up in traditional saris, with jewels and other accessories. Teenage Girls wear Langa-Oni/Half-Sarees/Lehenga Choli with jewels in order to bring out the traditional grace of the attire.

9 Nights of Bathukamma

Bathukamma represents cultural spirit of Telangana. It, along with the festivals of Bonalu, Sammakka Saralamma Jatara gained increased significance during the Telangana movement as a marker of the region's separate cultural identity from Andhra Pradesh, and its celebration has become much more prominent with the secession of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

Chalukyas of Vemulavada, based in Vemulawada were feudatories of Rashtrakuta kings. In the wars between Chola kings and Rashtrakutas these Chalukyas sided the Rashtrakutas. At 973 AD, Rashtrakuta feudal Chalukya lord Tailapa II defeated the last king Karka-II of Rashtrakuta kings and established independent Kalyani Chalukya kingdom. After the death of Tailapa II in AD 997 his son Satyashraya became the king. In the erstwhile kingdom of Vemulavaada (present Rajanna Sircilla District), Sri Raja Rajeshwara Temple is popular. Chola king, Parantaka Sundara Chola was in trouble while defending the attack from Rashtrakuta king. Learning that Rajarajeshwara will help those in troubles Parantaka Chola turned as his devotee. Also, he named his son as Raja Raja. This is evident from Arikesari epigraph. Raja Raja Chola I ruled between AD 985 and 1014. His son Rajendra Chola I attacked as the Chief of Army and stood victorious on Satyasraya, the Western Chalukya king. As a sign of his victory he destroyed Rajeshwara's temple and took the Bruhat (huge) Shiva linga to his father as a gift. In 1006 AD, Raja Raja Chola had started building a temple to this huge Shivalinga (Brihadeswara). In 1010 AD, he installed this Linga in Brihadisvara Temple. Chola kings also announced in Tamil epigraphs that this Brihadeswara temple is built from the wealth looted in the attack on Vemulavaada Chalukya kingdom.

Even now the similarities between the Shivalinga of Vemulavaada Bheemeshwaralayam and Shivalinga of Brihadeeswaralayam of Tanjavuru can be seen. Taking away the Shivalinga from Vemulavaada to Tanjavuru downhearted people of the Kingdom. After leaving the Kingdom, in the form of Linga, along with an attempt to console Paarvathi (Bruhadamma) in the temple here and to inform sorrowfulness to Cholas, Batukamma is arranged with flowers like Meru mountain. On its top Gouramma made with turmeric is placed and is recounted with sing and play for nine days. Dispatching her in water and calling her back took a shape of a festival.

Men in the house gather flowers Bathukamma flowers from the wild plains like Celosia, Senna, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Indian Lotus, Cucurbita leaves & flowers, Cucumis Sativus leaves & flowers, Memecylon edule, Tridax procumbens, Trachyspermum ammi, Katla, Teku Flowers, etc., which bloom in this season in various vibrant colors all across the uncultivated and barren plains of the region.