Festivals and Fairs in Telangana

In Telangana, one can clearly witness the composite, pluralistic and inclusive culture and traditions. Be it Bathukamma, Sankranthi, Ramzan, Moharram, or Christmas, the region is a beacon of secular traditions and festive glory. Bathukamma is a colourful and vibrant floral festival of Telangana, celebrated by women, with flowers that grow exclusively in each region. The festival is the pride of Telangana’s cultural identity. Batukamma celebrates the inherent relationship between earth, water and man.

Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra or Navaratri is an important Hindu festival celebrated in Telangana. The festival which symbolizes the victory of good over evil, is celebrated with traditional fervor, devotion and gaiety across Telangana. Bonalu is a Hindu Festival where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped. It is an annual festival celebrated in Telangana state, especially in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The festival falls during Ashada Masam in July/August.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed with fervor by Muslim brethren in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana. The biggest congregation is witnessed at the historic Mecca Masjid near Charminar. Sammakka Saralamma Jatara or Medaram Jatara is a world renowned tribal festival. The Jatara is celebrated annually at Medaram in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.

Bathukamma

The unique festival of flowers in Telangana

Bathukamma is a colourful and vibrant festival of Telangana and celebrated by women, with flowers that grow exclusively in each region. This festival is a symbol of Telangana’s cultural identity.

Bathukamma comes during the latter half of monsoon, before the onset of winter. The monsoon rains usually brings plenty of water into the fresh water ponds of Telangana and it is also the time when wild flowers bloom in various vibrant colors all across the uncultivated and barren plains of the region. The most abundant of these are the ‘gunuka poolu’ and ‘tangedu poolu’. There are other flowers too like the banti, chemanti, nandi-vardhanam etc. Bathukamma is celebrated by the women folk of Telangana, heralding the beauty of nature in vibrant colors of multitudinous flowers.

The festival begins a week before the grand ‘Saddula Bathukamma’ (the grand finale of the Bathukamma festival) which falls two days before Dussehra. The women folk normally get back to their parent's home from their in-laws and breathe the fresh air of freedom to celebrate the colors of flowers. For one complete week, they make small ‘Bathukammas’, play around them every evening and immerse them in a nearby water pond. On the last day, the men folk of the house go into the wild plains and gather the flowers like gunuka and tangedi. They bring home bagfuls of these flowers and the entire household sits down to make the big ‘Bathukamma’. The flowers are carefully arranged row after row in a brass plate (called taambalam) in circular rows and in alternate colors. As evening approaches the women folk dress colourfully with the best of their attire and adorn lot of ornaments and place the Bathukamma in their courtyard. The women of neighborhood also gather in a large circle around it. They start singing songs by circling it repeatedly, building a beautiful human circle of unity, love, sisterhood.

Bonalu

Bonalu is a Hindu Festival where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped. It is an annual festival celebrated in the twin Cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other parts of Telangana state, India.

Bonalu is celebrated usually during Ashada Masam that falls in July/August. Special poojas are performed for goddess Yellamma during the first and last day of the festival. The festival is considered as a form of thanksgiving to the Goddess after the fulfillment of vows. Bonam literally means Meal in Telugu, which is an offering to the Mother Goddess. Women folk in household prepare rice that is cooked along with Milk, Jaggery in a New Earthen or Brass Pot, which is adorned with Neem Leaves, Turmeric and Vermilion. Women carry these pots on their heads and make an offering of Bonam, including Bangles and Saree to the Mother Goddess at Temples. Bonalu involves worship of Kali in her various forms such Mysamma, Pochamma, Yellamma, Dokkalamma, Pedamma, Poleramma, Ankalamma, Maremma, Nookalamma etc.

Medaram Sammakka Saarakka Jaathara

The Sammakka Saralamma shrine area in Medaram is reported to have been built during the 12th century. The temple has no mythological background relating to the construction of the temple; instead, it is believed to be built in the memory of two tribal women.

The main deity(s) of the Sammakka Saralamma temple are two brave women who stood up for their community and its betterment. They became Martyrs in the battle. According to the legend, once a troop from the Koya tribal community was returning from a trip, when they saw a little girl playing with the tigress. The head of the troop saw the girl and inspired by her bravery, he adopted her and named her as Samakka. Later she married a headman of a neighboring tribal group and had a daughter, Sarakka. Both the mother and daughter protested the Kakatiya kings who forced the tribes to pay taxes. Both the women fought bravely and reportedly lost their lives. The Koya community constructed this temple as a token of gratitude. Annually an event called Sammakka Saralamma jatara is held which is considered as one of the largest tribal festivals of the world.

The deities are brought from the forest to a spot for a period of 10-12 days when more than one crore devotees offer prayers and gift ‘bangaram’, which is pure jaggery to the deities. The entire place reverberates with divine chants and elaborate arrangements are made for this Jathara with thousands of buses arriving with pilgrims.

Ramzan

Ramzan is the ninth month as per the Islamic Lunar calendar. Ramadan/Ramzan begins after the month of Shaban, when the new moon is sighted. In case new moon is not seen after 30 days of Shaban, then Ramadan begins. The month of Ramzan lasts for 29 or 30 days based on the sighting of the moon. If the moon is sighted during the night of 29th fast, then the month of Shawwal begins next day and Ramadan is over. The first of Shawwal is the Eid called Eid-ul-fitr for distinguishing this from Eid-ul-azha (Bakri Eid).

Ramzan is believed to be the month in which the Quran was revealed and involves fasting done by all able-bodied men including women and children who have reached puberty. During Ramzan, the people who fast donot eat or drink right from dawn to after sunset. Eid al-Fitr is a holiday in Telangana, which celebrates the end of Ramadan and marks the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal.

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is observed with fervor by Muslim brethren in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana. Sirens blare in unison from hundreds of mosques across the city for ‘sahr’ which is also the pre-dawn meals. The Muslim-majority in old city and other neighborhoods of Hyderabad become abuzz with activity while thousands throng the mosques for the purpose of ‘Namaz-e-Taraveeh’ or the special prayers offered daily during when priests recite Holy Quran.

Peerla Panduga

Muharram, also called Peerla Panduga is an important festival in the state of Telangana. Muharram is a festival marked by processions. During this occasion, a relic called Alam is taken out as a procession. Ashurkhana, representing a group of Sufi Shrines, is the area where the procession takes place, Many Muslims and even Hindus take part in this festival by chanting Ya Hussain as they participate eagerly in this procession.

In Dabeerpura area of Hyderabad, Hindus are considered alambardaar, which means standard-bearers at the famous shrine of Bibi Ka Alawa. Hindus throng in thousands to worship the holy relic of Alam since it is believed that a darshan of this Alam gives them solace and peace of mind. On this special day of Muharram, Hindus visit Sufi shrines. Peerla Panduga is actually an occasion of sorrow when the Hindu devotees respect the sentiments of their Islamic brothers and and participate in a solemn procession.

Nagoba Jaatara

Nagoba Jatara is a tribal festival held in Keslapur village, Inderavelly Mandal Adilabad district, Telangana, India. It is the second biggest tribal carnival and celebrated by Mesaram clan of Gond tribes for 10 days. Tribal people from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh belonging to the Mesram clan offer prayers at the festival. Thousands of Tribal people from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Karnataka, jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh belonging to the Mesaram clan offer prayers at the festival Nagoba. It's Starts in pushya masam.

The 10-day festival has begun after tribal priests performed abhishekam to Nagoba idol at the temple in Keslapur with water fetched by them from river Godavari in Jannaram mandal, 70 km away from the village.