Hyderabad is preparing for the start of Telangana’s vibrant nine-day Bathukamma festival, beginning on Sunday. The state government has arranged extensive plans to celebrate the festival with religious enthusiasm.
Various activities are scheduled from September 21 to 30, including a grand parade and a Bathukamma Carnival. A significant event aiming for a Guinness World Record will occur on September 28 at LB Stadium, where 10,000 women will gather around a 51-foot Bathukamma floral decoration. The celebrations will kick off at the Thousand Pillars Temple in Warangal on September 21, led by Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and women ministers.
From September 22 to 26, districts will hold Bathukamma events in collaboration with district collectors at temples or heritage sites.
In Hyderabad, the festivities feature a “Best Bathukamma” contest at People’s Plaza on September 29 and a grand floral parade with 2,500 women from self-help groups on Tank Bund on September 30.
The Tourism Department, working with airlines, plans to greet all incoming flights and tourists with Bathukamma dance performances between September 21 and 30.
Bathukamma replicas will appear at traffic junctions, with major roads illuminated. Shopping malls are encouraged to display Bathukamma decorations. Illuminated Bathukamma floats will be released into Hussain Sagar Lake. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority will host the Bathukamma Carnival on Tank Bund on September 27, followed by a “Floral Holi” at People’s Plaza. Coordinated cycle and bike rides featuring Bathukamma will involve cycling associations and women bikers.
Art camps, college programs, building illuminations, an Ikebana show, exhibitions, and extensive publicity are among the government’s efforts to promote this iconic Telangana festival.
