Different shades of Navratri and Bathukamma

 

“Culture is the backbone of any movement, any nation… and Bathukamma is quite unique because we worship flowers as Durga,” says K. Kavitha, MP and founder of Telangana Jagruthi. 

Avani Rao Gandra, the curator of Iconart Gallery, says, “Married women return to their maternal places, like goddess Parvati, and stay for nine days. They make Bathukammas through the week and in the evening they sing and dance around it, which often goes on till late in the night.” 

 

“In the city, we don’t get to practice the ritual for all the nine days, but my friends and I make sure that we get together and celebrate the festival at least during the last three days. The songs cover a host of topics from mythology to the suffering of people, some of them are even humorous,” she adds. 

 

People in Andhra meanwhile have the practice of visiting temples and performing pujas on all days. Filmmaker Priyanka Dutt, who was born and brought up in Vijayawada, says, “My mother fasts during the nine days and I join her at times. We also make it a point to visit the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada at least one day every year during Navratri.” 

 

Murali Krishna, president of the Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says that this is also the time when people look back and contemplate on their past mistakes. “Every year, all the relatives get together to pray and fast together. The day of Dasara is also believed to be very pious during which many people choose to start out with new business or social initiatives,” he says.