Garima Chaudhry
Editor’s Note: This is a short video and an accompanying note that we created for the Ministry of Tourism to give an introduction to Bathukamma – the joyous and colourful celebration of Navratri in Telangana and parts of Andhra Pradesh.
Indian have venerated the goddess for millennia. During Shardiya Navratri, the Devi is celebrated in every nook and corner of the country in infinite ways and myriad forms. In Telangana and parts of Andhra Pradesh women and young girls celebrate Bathukamma for nine days. The spirit of life and the colours of nature blend together in the mesmerising songs and flowers of Bathukamma.
Bathukamma means ‘mother of life’ or ‘mother live on’. She is the source of life for agrarian communities and is also equated with Gauri. The mother who gives us life is worshipped with conical and tiered arrangements of local flowers in conical shapes. A goddess made of turmeric adorn the top of the floral bathukammas which are characteristic of the festival. Melodious songs and spirited dances in the evenings by women and young girls make her worship come alive.
The colourful bathukammas reflect the spirit of life and are immersed in lakes and ponds on the last day of the festival in a grand finale with the belief that Bathukamma or Gauramma will be back next year and every year like the harvest comes again…
బతుకమ్మ శుభాకాంక్షలు!
Bathukamma shubakankshalu!
बथुकम्मा शुभाकांक्षालु!
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