Bay Area Bathukamma Festival in Sunnyvale

Sunnyvale, California, USA: The Durga Navarathri festival for the year 2013 got launched off to a colorful start in the heart of Silicon Valley at Ortega Park, Sunnyvale, California with the celebration of Bathukamma festival, also known as the festival of flowers.

This year the Bathukamma festivities were celebrated on the October 6th, as per lunar calendar it was on Ashwayuja Shukla Tritiya. Bathukamma festival is the biggest festival for women in Telangana region. This festival is a celebration of another form of Shakthi, Bathukamma, the giver of life. There are many myths associated with origin of Bathukamma festival. According to one myth, King Dharmangada of Chola Dynasty, who used to rule South India, was childless for a longtime. After many prayers and rituals, his wife gave birth to Princess Lakshmi. Baby Lakshmi survived many accidents, so the parents named her Bathukamma (Bathuku = life, Amma= suffix to female names and mother).

Another legend is that Bathukamma or 'Parvati' is a lover of flowers, so to celebrate Gauri's love, flowers are arranged on a square wooden plank or a square bamboo frame with the size of frames tapering off to form a pinnacle on top. They resemble the shape of a temple 'Gopura'. A lump of turmeric is kept on top of the flowers. This little floral mountain is worshiped as Goddess Bathukamma.

This was the 9th year of Bathukamma celebrations in San Francisco Bay area, organized by Telangana Cultural Association ( www.TelanganaCulture.org). This year's coordinators were its Chairman Saideesh Ajjan, President Bhaskar Maddi, and vice President Chandrakala Siramdas. Like every year the festivities started little past noon amid vedic chants and prayers conducted by the local priest, Subramanya Shastri garu. The venue was crowded with women, and kids of all ages in colorful dresses. Beautiful Bathukammas, in conical form, with concentric circles of flowers stacked one over the other adorned the center of the gazebo around Goddess Gauri's picture. Women folks of bay area tried to procure the flowers of Telangana region Gunuka, Tangedi, Katla along with native Bay area flowers to adorn their Bathukammas. By afternoon the Gazebo was vibrant with colorful flowers, women folks, and traditional Bathukamma songs blazing out of the speakers.

The team of TCA office bearers Baleshwar Indarapu and Raju Yasala took special interest and worked many days to procure Gaddi Pulu (Grass Flowers), Gunugu Poolu from several USA markets to make Bathukammas to reflect the originality of Bathukamma. A day before the festival TCA team conducted a training and workshop to teach women and children on Bathukamma making, singing and dancing. There was lot of interest in this work shop and was overbooked.

TCA President, Bhaskar Maddi welcomed the gathered crowd and being the master of ceremonies got the festivities started to a lively and energetic beats of Bathukamma songs. The women folks formed concentric circles around the Bathukamma and took turns to dance. Many visiting parents from India were ecstatic to see the celebrations and were all praise for TCA and its dynamic leadership for conducting a lively event and felt proud about the interest shown by current generation to protect and promote Telangana culture for future generations. Some visiting friends of families were very nostalgic and moved by the gatherings and were appreciative of the excellent arrangements. Some even went to say that this was the best Bathukamma they ever attended in USA.

TCA officials and volunteers led by Vijay Chavva, Mahipal Annam, Bhaskar Bandikallu, Srinivas Gujja, and Prasad Gattu ensured no guest left the venue without eating Sumptuous food. The delicious food was sponsored by Athidi restaurant, Sunnyvale, Arka restaurant Sunnyvale, Hyderabad Biryani, San Ramon, Peacock Indian restaurant, Fremont, Sunnyvale, Andhra Bhavan Sunnyvale. The festivities and dancing continued post lunch into the evening.

A group of elderly women were requested to act as judges to select the most well made Bathukammas out of the many Bathukammas at the venue. TCA formulated rules to adjudge the top ten Bathukammas of the event; this was to encourage participants to follow the traditional rituals, norms, and materials like gummadi leaf, gouramma, chinna bathukamma, gunaka puvvu, gouramma, and dimensions to be symmetric, conical with varied flowers. The selection process appeased all attendees as attendees were encouraged to follow the traditional Bathukamma making intricacies. The top ten selected Bathukammas were given awards by the judges. The best made Bathukamma by Neelima Singireddy won first prize. One of the participant's Bathukamma was decorated with various flowers representing the colors of Indian flag; people at the venue appreciated the gesture of the participant with fulsome praise. Raffle prizes were also distributed during the festivities. The Bathukamma awards were sponsored by Shree Jewelers of Sunnyvale, Painter Color Box, Sunnyvale, Chandrakala Sriramdas, Realtor, Bay area, Jonnathan H Kim, Dentist, San Jose.

TCA Team thanked the sponsors of the event: UB Singh/Dan Johnson Tax services, Desi Movers, Trinethra Indian Supermarket, Newark, Sri Datta Sai Temple, San Ramon, US Auto Collision & Repair, Belmont, Full Spectrum services Inc., Sireesha Konda Health Line & Artistry.

Mahipal Annam thanked the attendees and invited all to attend the Bathukamma celebrations in San Ramon, on Saturday Oct. 12th. TCA ex-officials, Biksham Palabindela and Buchanna Gajula who were unable to attend the event sent their best wishes greeting to the team and all attendees. Chairman Saideesh Ajjan thanked all TCA officials, volunteers, and attendees for making the Bathukamma a mega success.

Photo album can be seen at http://plus.google.com/photos/107212308924892710298/albums/5932015575173893057?hl=en_US