Intricate floral arrangements mark traditional Telugu festival
Women and girls wearing silk sarees and jewellery pay tribute to nature with song and dance
The Telugu community in the UAE celebrated Bathukamma, also known as the festival of flowers, at the Indian Social Centre in Abu Dhabi on Friday and at etisalat Academy in Dubai on Saturday.
Wearing silk sarees and jewellery, women and girls danced around conical floral arrangements in an expression of thanksgiving to Mother Nature. They sang traditional songs dedicated to the valour of women and to Hindu mythological characters. This year, singers Nagaraj and Varam were flown in from Hyderabad to join the celebrations at both venues.
Later, the floral arrangements were immersed in inflatable water tanks according to the tradition of praying for Bathukamma’s return next year.
Organisers presented awards for best floral arrangements, best dressed women and girls and best dancers.
Laxmi Kameswari, a housewife, said: “It’s really an awesome festival of flowers. I belong to Andhra region, but have stayed in Telangana for two years where I celebrated this festival for the first time.”
Sudha Srinivas from Hyderabad said: “Navrathri and Bathukamma remain my favourite festivals. I thank the UAE Telugu community for organising this every year and making us feel at home.”
Neelima, another housewife from Hyderabad, said: ‘Participating in our traditional festival in a foreign land is memorable.”
Vasanta Lakshmi Nauduri, a resident of Sharjah who works at Dubai Health Care City Authority, said: “It is nothing less than a festivity when Telugu people come together.”
Nandini Giridhar, who grew up in Hyderabad, said: ‘Bathukamma is a unique and vibrant festival to thank nature.”