Bathukamma

Hello. My name is Sita, and I live in a village in Telangana. I want to tell you about my favorite time of the whole year. It’s when the air gets a little cooler and the fields are full of color. This is when we celebrate Bathukamma. It's a special festival that lasts for nine whole days. It’s all about celebrating flowers, our families, and the wonderful nature all around us. For me, it feels like the world is throwing a big party with a rainbow of petals. I can hardly sleep the night before it begins because I am just so excited for the music, the dancing, and of course, the beautiful flowers.

On the first morning, I wake up before the sun even says hello. My mother and my grandmother are already awake. 'Come, Sita,' my grandmother says with a warm smile, 'the flowers are waiting for us'. We take our baskets and walk out into the fields. The morning air feels cool and fresh on my cheeks. We look for the most beautiful flowers to pick. We gather bright yellow 'tangedu' flowers that look like little suns and soft purple 'gunugu' flowers. The basket gets heavier and heavier, and it smells so sweet, like nature's own perfume. It’s my job to find the biggest and brightest ones.

When we get home, the real fun begins. We sit together on the floor with our big pile of colorful flowers. We use a big, round plate called a 'thambalam' as our base. My mother shows me how to carefully arrange the flowers in circles, layer by layer. We start with the biggest flowers at the bottom and use smaller ones as we go up. Soon, our flowers look like a beautiful little mountain. This flower mountain is our Bathukamma, and it represents a kind goddess named Gauri, who we believe protects our families. At the very top, we place a small cone made of turmeric paste, which is our special Gauri, to bring us good luck and happiness.

In the evening, everything feels like magic. My friends and I put on our best, most colorful clothes. I wear my new sparkly skirt. Then, my mother, grandmother, and I carefully carry our Bathukamma to the center of our village. All the other women and girls bring their flower mountains, too. Soon, the whole square is filled with amazing flower creations. We place them all in the middle and join hands to make a big circle. We start to dance around them, clapping our hands and singing special songs that have been passed down for many years. Everyone is laughing and smiling, and the music makes my heart feel full of joy.

After nine days of celebration, it is time for the final goodbye. On the last day, all the women and girls in the village walk together to the big lake. It’s a beautiful parade of people and flowers. When we get to the water's edge, we say a little prayer. We thank the goddess for watching over us. Then, one by one, we gently place our Bathukammas into the water. They float on the surface like little flower boats, carrying our wishes for a good harvest and healthy water. It’s a little sad to see them go, but I know we will make them again next year.