What is Bathukamma Festival?
- Bathukamma festival is a floral festival celebrated predominantly by the Hindu women of Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh.
- Bathukamma represents cultural spirit of Telangana.
- It is the festival for feminine felicitation.
- Every year this festival is celebrated as per Satavahana calendar for nine days starting Bhadrapada Pournami till Durgashtami, usually in September–October of Gregorian calendar.
- Bathukamma is celebrated for nine days during Durga Navratri.
- It starts on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya and the 9-day festivities will culminate on “Saddula Bathukamma” or “Pedda Bathukamma”.
- Bathukamma is followed by Boddemma, which is a 7-day festival.
- Boddemma festival marks the ending of Varsha Ruthu whereas Bathukamma festival indicates the beginning of Sarad or Sharath Ruthu.
How is it Celebrated?
- A beautiful flower stack will be arranged with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of temple gopuram.
- Women gathers and dances around this flower stack.
- They also sings Bathukamma songs while dancing.
In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma’ means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’ and Goddess Maha Gauri-‘Life Giver’ is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma – the patron goddess of womanhood, Gauri Devi.
What are Pochampally Sarees?
- Pochampalli Ikat is a saree made in Bhoodan Pochampally in Nalgonda district of Telangana.
- The uniqueness of Pochampally sarees lies in the transfer of intricate design and colouring onto warp and weft threads first and then weave them together globally known as double ikat textiles.
- They have traditional geometric patterns in Ikat style of dyeing.
- The intricate geometric designs find their way into sarees and dress materials.
- The Indian government’s official air carrier, Air India, has its cabin crew wear specially designed pochampally silk sarees.
Global fame for Pochampally sarees
- Pochampally saree received Intellectual Property Rights Protection or Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2005.
- It has found place in UNESCO tentative list of world heritage sites as part of “iconic saree weaving clusters of India”.
- The kerchiefs made of silk thread have earned international fame as “Teli Rumals”.
Why in News?
The New South Wales Parliament in Sydney, Australia for the first time ever, celebrated the Bathukamma festival. Women in resplendent clothes danced around ‘floral deities’ singing Bathukamma songs.
As the women moved around the floral deities clapping in tune with songs, the Parliamentarians from New South Wales and Ministers joined the chorus.
Minister for Multiculturalism Ray Williams, Shadow Transport Minister Jodi McKay, Thomas George, Liesl Tesch, Julia Finn, Hugh McDermott, Geoff Lee and all the members of the Parliament were present to celebrate the ethnic festival.
As a part of the celebration, the pochampally handloom sarees were promoted. The contribution of pochampally handloom weavers to the textile history of the Telangana state and their struggle to save the handloom sector was highlighted to the guests.
The participants were also requested to patronise the Pochampally sarees.
Prepared by Sai Eswar