2012 produced one more new milestone in the History of Telangana Culture abroad, i.e. Bay Area Bathukamma Festival 2012 attracted more than 1000 people to play the traditional Bathukamma Festival on October 14th at Ortega Park, Sunnyvale, California.
The Mega Bathukamma festival was organized by the Telangana Cultural Association (www.TelanganaCulture.org) under the joint supervision of its Vice President Bhaskar Maddi and Cultural Secretary Chandrakala Siramdas.
The months of September, October, and November bring an aura of celebration in the air with many festivals, variety of foods, new clothes and biggest of all an occasion for families and friends to get together, and also to pass the culture and values to next generation.
The Bathukamma and Navarathri festival season was inaugurated amidst recitals of Vedic chants. The ortega park circular Gazebo was filled with women dressed in traditional way by wearing colorful saris and girls came in Parikinis. Majority of the men came in traditional dresses while rest had their own choice for comfort on a very sunny and clear day. The very big Park in the midst of the town turned out to become pale in front of the colors thrown by colorful women in sarees and Bathukamma. The park was filled with all sorts of colors with Bathukamma and colorful dresses of Indian folks.
The team of TCA volunteers led by Baleshwar Indarapu, Saideesh Ajjan, Subash Ravada, Bhaskar Bandikallu took special interest and worked many days to procure Gaddi Pulu (Grass Flowers), Gunugu Poolu from several USA markets to make Bathukammas.TCA also conducted a training and workshop to teach women and children on Bathukamma making, singing and dancing. The work shop was led by Raju Yasala. There was lot of interest in this work shop and was overbooked.
The festival started at 11.30 AM with Pandit Chandra Shekar Sharma performing Gowri puja. Women of all ages and young girls stood in a circular fashion around the pooja spot.
TCA ex-Chairman Vijay Chavva introduced Dr Proddaturi Yellareddy, an eminent Telugu poet to the audience, who delivered an elegant speech explaining the importance of Boddema and Bathukamma festival. Dr. Yellareddy said he was ecstatic and moved by the enthusiasm and energy shown by the gathering of people of all ages in celebrating the festival; by looking at the crowd he said he forgot that he was in USA, it made him feel as though he was in Telangana. TCA President Saideesh Ajjan took the occasion to honor Dr. Yellareddy for his words of wisdom and for his presence.
Around 1.30 PM the venue was filled more than 1000 people, while some where feasting the delicious lunch many were dancing in circles around the Bathukammas, with cheerful songs blazing out of the speakers. Many of the gathered felt nostalgic, and for some the circular venue and colorful women folks reminded the Thousand Pillar Temple of Warangal.
Everyone in the gathering was seen discussing the beautiful memories from the child hood in rural side and men were discussing current political scenario in the state. Many Andhrites and Rayalaseema folks along with North Indian Folks were seen asking more details and importance of the festival. When they learnt that women folks in Telangana do this festival for health, wealth and long lives of their husbands and families they already started inquiring for next year Bathukamma Festival. TCA team truly promoted Bathukamma Festivals without boundaries, and made it an occasion to bring all people of different regions, language, and nationalities onto one festival platform.
A group of elderly women were requested to act as judges to select the most well made Bathukammas out of the many Bathukamms at the venue. The top nine selected Bathukammas were given awards by the judges. The Bathukamma created by Chandrakala Siramdas was adjudged as the best Bathumma of the event. Honorary award was given to a denizen of Sunnyvale who was participating the 6th time in the TCA Bathukamma festival. Raffle prizes were also distributed during the festivities. The Bathukamma awards were sponsored by Shree Jewelers of Sunnyvale, Chaat Bhavan of Fremont, and TCA.
Master of the ceremonies, the evergreen, Bhaskar Maddi enlightened the event with his wit, humor, and words of encouragement. He thanked the sponsors of the event: Comcast Services, Farmers Insurance by Preeti, EITACIES Inc, UB Singh/Dan Johnson Tax services and Desi Movers.
Prasad Gattu and Bhaskar Bandikallu oversaw food arrangements for the festival. Chaat Bhavan, Athidhi, Suraj, ARKA Indian restaurants participated in preparing food for the event which produced a feast to the attendants. TCA thanked all participants and sponsors for making it a momentous event.
The gallery of this cultural feast can be seen at :
https://picasaweb.google.com/108434728959282075716/Bathukamma_2012
