Story of Bathukamma
- Bathukamma festival is a symbol of Telangana’s cultural identity It comes during the latter half of the monsoon, that is, before the onset of winter. The rains during the monsoon season usually bring plenty of water into the freshwater ponds of Telangana.
- Also, this is the time when the uncultivated and barren plains of the region are filled with blooming wildflowers that are of various vibrant colors. Most of these wildflowers are the ‘gunuka poolu’ and ‘tangedu poolu’.
- However, there are other flowers that include the banti, chemanti, nandi-vardhanam, and many more. Bathukamma is celebrated by all the women of Telangana, indicating the beauty of nature along with the vibrant colors of blooming flowers.
- According to Hindu mythology, once upon a time, there was a King named Dharmangada who belonged to the Chola Dynasty. King Dharmangada largely ruled over South India.
- The wife of the King gave birth to a girl child after many years of rituals and continuous prayers. Their daughter was named Princess Lakshmi.
- During the upbringing of Baby Lakshmi, there were many unforeseen accidents and incidents in life that she and her parents had to go through.
- During this time, her parents faced a lot of difficulties. After facing all these consequences they named their daughter Bathukamma. In the Telugu language, Bathuku means life and Amma means mother.
- Bathukamma is a festival that is grandly celebrated by the young girls in Telangana. The main intention and belief of this festival are to pray with devotion to the Goddess that they would soon get their beloved husbands as per their desire and wish.
- On other hand, the married women of Telangana along with their household friends pray to the goddesses for the prosperity and good health of their family and relatives to celebrate the festival. Primarily, this particular festival is celebrated by young girls who are of marriageable age.
- Married men also celebrate this festival along with their wives and other family members. Relatives and friends help in the gathering of flowers and in the arrangement of a beautiful stack of flowers during the festival.
This festival plays a vital role in the culture and tradition of the Telangana region.
- Every year, Hindus eagerly look forward to celebrating the Bathukamma festival. Bathukamma festival has many significances in its festivity.
- According to Hindu mythology, one belief regarding Goddess Gauri is that after a fierce fight with ‘Mahishasura’, she killed the demon. After which she went into a deep sleep due to fatigue on the day of ‘Aswayuja Padyami’.
- She then woke up on the day of Dasami. It is believed that the Hindus strongly pray with devotion to waking up the Goddess.
- Another belief of Bathukamma, as discussed earlier, was that there was a king named Dharmangada and his wife named Satyavati who belonged to the Chola Dynasty.
- They had a hundred sons who unfortunately died on the war front. So they prayed with devotion and performed rituals and wished for Goddess Lakshmi to be born as their daughter. The Goddess heard their prayers and immediately obliged them.
- On her birth, many scholars and pundits visited the baby at the royal palace and blessed her by calling Bathukamma to live forever.
- Another version of belief says that Parvathi or Bathukamma is a great liking of flowers. The seasonal flowers of spring or in other words the wildflowers that bloom during the season are arranged on a square bamboo frame and form a pinnacle on the top.
- It is similar to the shape of a temple tower or ‘Gopura’. A lump of turmeric is kept on top of the stacked flowers.
- This festival mainly concentrates on the women of Telangana. Then men and children participate with a lot of interest and enthusiasm in this festivity.
- Also, young unmarried girls play an active role in this festival. To learn more about why to celebrate and who celebrates the Bathukamma festival read the following article.
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