Hyderabad, Oct 2 (IANS): Telangana’s state festival Bathukamma commenced with traditional fervour and gaiety across the state on Wednesday.

Considered a symbol of Telangana culture, it is celebrated with enthusiasm by all women for nine days. Nature is worshipped during the festival. Women and girls sing and dance around specially arranged flowers.

At the end of the festival, they immerse the specially arranged flowers called Bathukamma in local ponds.

Governor Jishnu Dev Varma and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy extended greetings to the people.

The Governor conveyed wishes and warm greetings to all the women of Telangana. "Bathukamma, a festival deeply connected to Mother Nature, is a sacred celebration of life and the feminine energy. It is a vibrant expression of devotion by the women of Telangana, who through their creativity and prayers, invoke the divine blessings of Goddess Gauri," he said in his message.

"The colourful seasonal wildflowers used in crafting the beautiful idols of Bathukamma are nature’s gift, endowed with medicinal properties that cleanse the water bodies filled by the abundance of the monsoon rains. These flowers, arranged with devotion, symbolise the harmony between nature and life,” the Governor said. He noted that the festival marks the joyous reunion of families as daughters return to their ancestral homes to partake in the nine-day celebration, offering prayers and songs in honour of Goddess Gauri.

Bathukamma stands as a proud tribute to the rich culture and traditions of Telangana, embodying the essence of devotion, unity, and the nurturing spirit of womanhood.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also extended greetings to the women on the occasion of the festival. He said that Bathukamma is a revered festival as women adore nature and worship flowers. The CM wished that everyone celebrate the festival with pomp and gaiety.

The Bathukamma festival is a testament to the unity of life by people who share their happiness and hardships with each other, he said.

Revanth Reddy prayed to the "Gauramma" deity to bring light into the lives of the people of the state and get rid of their hardships. He said that the Bathukamma festivities, which are held in the midst of joyous celebrations by women at their birthplaces by decorating Bathukamma with flowers, dance and singing, reflect the uniqueness of the villages.

Ever since the formation of Telangana in 2014, Bathukamma has been celebrated as the state festival.