The nine-day Bathukamma celebrations concluded on Sunday with the grand Saddula Bathukamma finale, as women turned out in large numbers across Hyderabad to mark the culmination of Telangana’s beloved floral festival. The centrepiece of the celebrations was at Tank Bund, where around 1,000 women dressed in colourful sarees and jewellery carried Bathukammas in a procession from the Telangana Martyrs Memorial to Hussain Sagar.
Women decorated their Bathukamma arrangements with seasonal flowers and made offerings to the goddess before immersion in the lake. At Hussain Sagar, women and girls formed circles, sang traditional songs and celebrated together, creating a vibrant spectacle on the banks of the city’s iconic water body.
The event, organised by the state government, drew participants from across the city. Culture minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, minister Seethakka and special chief secretary Vani Prasad were among the dignitaries who attended the celebrations at Tank Bund.
Saddula Bathukamma Celebrations Light Up Tank Bund
The Saddula Bathukamma celebrations at Tank Bund were a showcase of Telangana’s rich cultural heritage. Performances by about 700 artists featured traditional art forms including Kommukoya, Gusadi and Bonam, along with 30 other folk performances that kept the crowds enthralled through the evening.
Another major attraction was a laser and fireworks show accompanied by Telangana folk and traditional music, which lit up the night sky over Hussain Sagar. The combination of the floral displays, the music and the illuminated lake made for a memorable finale to the nine-day festival.
Speaking at the event, culture minister Jupally Krishna Rao said Bathukamma brought people together beyond caste and religion, reflecting the bond between people and nature. The festival, which honours the goddess Gauri, is celebrated with particular fervour in Telangana and has become a symbol of the state’s cultural identity.
Saddula Bathukamma: Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Join In
Adding star power to the Saddula Bathukamma finale were film actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, who joined the celebrations at Tank Bund. Rashmika was seen playing Bathukamma along with other women, singing and dancing in the traditional circles around the floral arrangements.
The presence of the two popular stars drew cheers from the assembled crowds and added to the festive atmosphere. Their participation also brought the celebrations wider attention, with images and videos of the actors at the event circulating on social media through the evening.
Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna, who are among the most recognisable faces of Telugu cinema, have frequently appeared at cultural events in the state, and their presence at the Saddula Bathukamma finale underscored the festival’s significance as a unifying celebration.
Saddula Bathukamma Finale: Festivities Beyond Tank Bund
While Tank Bund was the main venue, Saddula Bathukamma celebrations were held on a grand scale at several other locations across the city. IDL Lake and Nalla Cheruvu in Kukatpally saw large turnouts of women, as did the Saroornagar lake, also known as Mini Tank Bund, where women from surrounding localities gathered in their best traditional attire.
In residential colonies too, streets witnessed large gatherings as societies organised their own Saddula Bathukamma events. At Indis Viva City in Serilingampally, celebrations began with a Bathukamma procession accompanied by the dholak, and the society arranged a large Bathukamma along with Pasupu Gauramma.
Participants spoke of the joy of celebrating together. Shirisha, a resident of Ramanthapur who attended the Hussainsagar celebrations, said she was happy to take part for the first time. P. Jyothi from Hayathnagar attended with her family, saying they played Bathukamma at home and wanted to experience the celebrations at the lake. G. Vanaja from Bandlaguda Jagir, who came with her children, said Bathukamma was a festival for women and they had wanted to see the celebrations and culture beyond their own area.
With the immersion of the floral arrangements in the lakes, the nine-day festival came to a close, leaving behind memories of colour, music and community for the thousands of women who took part across Hyderabad.