Bathukamma, a floral festival is celebrated with much joy and happiness in Telangana. Every year, this Bathukamma festival is celebrated for nine days starting with Mahalaya Amavasya and continues till Durgashtami. According to the Gregorian calendar, the festival usually comes in the month of September or October. The nine day festival ends on Saddula Bathukamma or Peddha Bathukamma.

Know how Bathukamma is made:

Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers - Celosia, Senna, Chrysanthemum, Indian Lotus, Cucurbita leaves, Trachyspermum ammi, Katla, Teku Flowers, Marigold, Cucumis Sativus leaves and flowers, Memecylon edule, Tridax procumbens, etc., - in concentric layers.

History of Bathukamma:

In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma' means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’ and Goddess Maha Gauri-‘Life Giver’ is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma. Women make Bathukamma on all nine days and on the Saddula Bathukamma day, they immerse Bathukamma in water. Gauramma which is kept on the Bathukamma is taken back and women will apply it on their mangal sutra. Women dress up and sing songs and dance around the Bathukammas.

There are many stories related to Bathukamma. According to a legend, Goddess Gauri killed 'Mahishasura' the demon, and later she went to sleep on the 'Aswayuja Padyami', due to fatigue. The devotees prayed to her to wake up, and she woke up on the Dasami.

Another story is - Bathukkamma, the daughter of Chola king, Dharmangada, and Satyavati. It is said that Dharmangada had lost his 100 sons in a battle. Later, the couple prayed to Goddess Lakshmi and they have been blessed with a baby girl. All the sages came and blessed her with immortality, "Bathukamma or Live Forever". Since then, Bathukamma has been celebrated.

Know about nine days of Bathukamma:

Day 1: Engili pula Bathukamma
Day 2: Attukula Bathukamma
Day 3: Muddappappu Bathukamma
Day 4: Nanabiyyam Bathukamma
Day 5: Atla Bathukamma
Day 6: Aligina Bathukamma (alaka Bathukamma)
Day 7: Vepakayala Bathukamma
Day 8: Vennae muddala Bathukamma
Day 9: Sadhula Bathukamma

We 'Sakshi Post' wish all the readers, a very happy Bathukamma.