TS Guv celebrates the first day of the Bathukamma festival with women journalists

Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan celebrated the first day of the Bathukamma festival with a group of eminent women journalists from across Hyderabad and Telangana.

This is the 3rd time the festival has been celebrated since Tamilisai became governor

"Bathukamma Festival is more than just a celebration, it passes the message of living healthily. Each day of the festival has significant importance that reminds women of nutritional values," the governor said.

"I hope that all women are healthy. I request them to please take traditional food that the festival teaches us," she added.

She said Bathukamma, the unique flower festival of Telangana, is also laced with the underlying practice of exchanging nutritional food items among the women. The Governor said she was amazed after coming to know that women, during the nine-day-long festivities, exchange different traditionally prepared food items, which are full of nutritional value.

Multiple cultural programs and dance programs were held at Raj Bhavan on the occasion

Continuing the tradition of personally selecting and gifting sarees to members of the Raj Bhavan as part of the Bathukamma celebrations, the Governor on Saturday distributed sarees to all the women staff of the Raj Bhavan at a special function held at the Durbar Hall.

The state festival will be celebrated in a grand manner across Telangana from September 25 to October 3.

The main celebrations will be held on October 3 which will be celebrated as Saddula Bathukamma.

During the nine-day annual 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.

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