Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao seemed to have succeeded in his mission to create a brand image for Telangana State as his much-touted “Bangaru Bhatukamma” festival has caught the imagination of the people in an unprecedented manner this year.
Though the Bhatukkama festival, a decoration with a myriad of colorful flowers, was being observed all over Telangana during the nine-day Navrathri festivities of the Dussera season, it is for the first time this year it has reached its crescendo as never before in the past.
There is no denial of the fact that the Bhatukkama festival was revived in a big way during the past four years thanks to the initiate taken by Kalvakurthi Kavitha, daughter of KCR and Chairperson of Telangana Jagruthi, the cultural wing of the TRS party. As part of the movement for a separate Telangana state, Kavitha tried to infuse a sense of patriotism among the masses, especially in the rural areas, by organizing Bhatukamma festivals.
However with the realization of a separate state after 60-long years of struggle, TRS President K. Chandrashekar Rao soon after assuming charge as Chief Minister has declared Bhatukamma as the state’s official festival. The Telangana government besides releasing an amount of Rs.One crore each to the ten districts for organizing the festival in a big and grandeur manner has directed that all the ministers, MPs, legislators and officials should take part in the festival.
Thus the colorful Bhathukamma was organized and celebrated in all government offices and institutions on a large scale in which all the women employees participated with enthusiasm. The conduct of the festival was supervised by the Collectors in their respective districts while the GHMC authorities while the GHMC authorities have made elaborate arrangements in the twin cities by illuminating various public places, especially the areas in and around Hussainsagar. Even all the traffic islands were decorated and colorful Bhatukammas were erected.
An interesting aspect of the Bhathukamma festival is that part from the Telangana people even the people from the Andhra region took part in the festival every day. Interestingly some of those employees like in Secretariat, who had stoutly opposed bifurcation of the state and agitated for a united state, also took part in the festivities singing and dancing along with their Telangana counter parts. Even AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu took participated in a Bhatukamma programme at Kukatpally and carried the flower-decked Bhatukamma on his head.
It is pertinent to point out here that despite the new state reeling under power cuts and shortage of rainfall, the colorful festival of Bhatukamma seem to have mesmerized the people to forget their woes and take part in the festivities. The frenzy mood of the people to organize Bhatukamma festival has made one leader to quip “KCR jaadu khardiya” ( KCR created a magic). The newly formed Forum to Support KCR has hailed the Chief Minister for his decision to make Bhatukamma state festival which has helped revive the traditional and cultural spirit of Telangana. The Chairman Konda Lakshma Reddy and Convenor Mohd. Raheemulla Khan Niyazi of the Forum said that the manner in which the nine-day festival was being conducted has helped create a new brand image for Telangana state for its cultural heritage.
The nine-day festival will conclude on Thursday with a massive and colorful rally of Bhatukamma on the Tank Bund for which eloberate arrangements were being made by the GHMC and police. (NSS).