Telangana American Telugu Association is celebrating the traditional floral festival BATHUKAMMA in New Jersey on Sunday Oct 11th at Johnson Park in Piscataway.
Cordially invites all the Telugu people to come and participate in this event and make it a big success. Please see the details below.
The BATHUKAMMA festival or Panduga is one of the most unique festivals Telangana celebrated mainly by the women. Celebrated during Navarathris it honors goddess Gouri on the name of Bathukamma. In Telugu, Bathukamma means ‘come alive Mother Goddess’.
Bathukamma panduga, the spring festival, is the second largest festival after Dasara or Vijaya Dashami in Telangana. Celebrated during Durga Navaratri, the 9-day festival will conclude two days before Dasara.
During the festival, Goddess Gauri is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma. Women seek her blessings for prosperity and a good year. Colors, flowers and water are all intrinsic to the festival and the goddess herself is not one rooted in a shrine but turmeric and placed on top of conical flower arrangements that signify both life and eternity in their colors.
Festival of the nature, where fun and frolic is the order of the day. This largest festival of Telangana region, Batukamma festival was started centuries ago and still celebrated as grand cultural event.
Bathukamma festivities begin on the Bhadrapada Amavasya, also known as Mahalaya Amavasya. During the same period, young girls also observe Boddemma festival that marks the ending of Varsha ruthu whereas Bathukamma festival indicates the beginning of Sharath ruthu. The 9-day festivities will culminate on Chaddula Bathukamma festival on Ashwayuja Ashtami, popularly known as Durgashtami.
Women participate in the festival with great fervor dressing up in their best, wearing traditional Silk Sarees and jewelry while young girls wear Langa-Voni (Half-Saree) the traditional attire of young girls of the region.
The women gather in large numbers along with their Bathukammas in their locality place them in the middle and dance around them while singing soul stirring Bathukamma folk songs. Synchronising steps and claps in unison provide a splendorous look to the festivities.
After singing and dancing, Bathukammas are set afloat in lake or river. Lakes with floating Bathukammas in the evenings are a visual treat. On the occasion, the women exchange Turmeric and Kumkuma (Sindhur) which married women consider most auspicious.
Lot of activities for youth and kids are planned. Youth is planning to have their own Bathukamma arrangements. There will be Prizes for the best Bathukamma and prizes for Kids events and more.
Lunch will be served and the registration is free for the event.
To make better arrangements in the park please register at http://mytelanganaus.org/bathukammacelebrations.php
For more information, please contact Bindu Madiraju (732-609-1836)
Venue:
Johnson Park
Grove 5, River Road,
Piscataway, NJ 08854.
Date: Sunday, 11th October 2015.
Time: 11 AM to 6 PM.
Press note released by: IndianClicks, LLC
