Bathukamma is floral festival celebrated by the Hindu women of Telangana. Every year this festival is celebrated as per Shalivahana calendar for nine days starting Mahalaya Amavasya till Durgashtami, 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" festival on Ashwayuja Ashtami, popularly known as Durgashtami
which is two days before Dussehra. It is the festival for feminine felicitation. On this
special occasion women dress up in the traditional sari combining it with
jewels and other accessories. Teenage Girls wear Langa-Oni/Half-Sarees
combining it with jewels in order to bring out the traditional grace of the
attire.
For the nine days, in the
evening, women, especially young girls, gather in large numbers with their
Bathukammas in open areas of their locality. All women will form a circle
around the Bathukamma and start singing folk songs by clapping their hands and
revolving around the Bathukamma, synchronizing steps and claps in unison
provide a splendorous look to the festivities. Women seek good health,
prosperity and happiness for their families. The songs are to invoke the
blessings of various goddesses. By principle, the rendition end with any one of
the following three tributes Uyyaala - ఉయ్యాల, Chandamama - చందమామ or Gouramma
Each day has a name mainly
signifying the type of "naivedyam" (food offering) offered. Most of
the naivedyam (food offering) offered are very simple to prepare, and usually
young children or young girls are mainly involved in the preparation of the
offerings for the first eight days of the festival. The last day, called
saddula Bathukamma is when all the women take part in the preparation.
Following is the list of names for each day and the naivedyam offered on that
day.
1) Engili pula Bathukamma- The first day of the festival falls
on Mahalaya Amavasya, also known as Pethara Amavasya in Telangana region. Food
offering/Naivedyam: Nuvvulu(Sesame seeds) with biyyampindi(rice flour) or
nookalu(coarsely ground wet rice).
2)
Atkula Bathukamma: The second day is called Atkula bathukamma, falls on the
Padyami(first day) of Ashwayuja masam. Food offering/Naivedyam: Sappidi
pappu(Bland boiled lentils), bellam(jaggery), and atkulu (flattened parboiled
rice)
3)Muddapappu
Bathukamma: The third day of Bathukamma falls on Vidiya/second day of Ashwayuja
masam. Food offering/Naivedyam: muddapappu (softened boiled lentils), milk and
bellam(jaggery)
4)Nanabiyyam
Bathukamma: The fourth day falls on thidiya/third day of Ashwayuja masam. Food
offering/Naivedyam: nananesina biyyam(wet rice), milk, and bellam(jaggery)
5)Atla
Bathukamma: The fifth day falls on the chathurdi/fourth day of Ashwayuja masam.
Food offering/Naivedyam: uppidi pindi atlu( pan cakes made from wheatlets), or
Dosa
6)Aligina
Bathukamma: The sixth day falls on the panchami/fifth day of Ashwayuja masam.
No food offering is made.
7)Vepakayala
Bathukamma: The seventh day falls on the sashti/sixth day of Ashwayuja masam.
Food offering/Naivedyam: rice flour shaped into the fruits of neem tree is
deepfried.
8)Vennamuddala
Bathukamma: The eight day falls on sapthami/seventh day of Ashwayuja masam.
Food offering/Naivedyam: nuvvulu(sesame), Venna(Butter) or ghee(clarified
butter), and bellam(jaggery)
9)
Saddula Bathukamma: The ninth day of bathukamma is celebrated on ashtami/eight
day of Ashwayuja masam, and coincides with Durgashtami. Food
offering/Naivedyam: Five types of cooked rice dishes: perugannam saddi(curd
rice), chinthapandu pulihora saddi(tamarind rice), nimmakaya saddi(lemon rice),
kobbara saddi(coconut rice) and nuvvula saddi(sesame rice)
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