Bathukamma Day 7: ‘Vepakayala Bathukamma’ and Its Significance!

Bathukamma festival can also be seen as a representation of the matriarchal system. It symbolizes the pride and self-respect of Telangana women, which is why men have no role in this celebration. In Telangana, the months of September and October are often referred to as festive months for the people, as two major festivals occur during this time. These two festivals spread celebrations and family gatherings for at least fifteen days. One of these festivals is Bathukamma, and the other is Dasara (Vijayadashami). However, Bathukamma is a unique festival that is exclusive to Telangana.

Bathukamma is the festival of the women of Telangana. It is deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of Telangana. For nine days, every street in Telangana is filled with joy and festivities. The celebrations start with ‘Engilipoola Bathukamma’ on the first day and end with ‘Saddula Bathukamma’ on the ninth day. This year, the Bathukamma celebrations began on September 28. Six days of festivities have already concluded, including the rituals of ‘Engilipuvvu Bathukamma,’ ‘Atukula Bathukamma,’ ‘Muddapappu Bathukamma,’ ‘Nanabiyyam Bathukamma,’ ‘Atla Bathukamma,’ and ‘Aliginchi Bathukamma.’

On the seventh day of Bathukamma, the festival is celebrated as ‘Vepakayala Bathukamma.’ On this day, Bathukamma is adorned with seven layers of flowers such as tangedu, gunugu, chamanti, and roses. After playing around the Bathukamma, it is immersed in a lake. As offerings, the women prepare dough shaped like neem fruits using saksin flour or offer lentils and jaggery as naivedyam.