The Bathukamma festival is a highly cherished state festival of Telangana which is celebrated mainly by the women of this region. Celebrated during Navarathri the festival marks worship of the `life-giver’ Bathukamma, with the women of the state seeking her blessings for prosperity and a good year.

For the nine days, in the evening, women, especially young girls, gather in large numbers with their Bathukammas in open areas of their locality. All women form a circle around the Bathukamma and start singing folk songs by clapping their hands and revolving around the Bathukamma, which provides a traditional look to the festivities. p>

Women seek good health, prosperity and happiness for their families. The songs aid in invoking the blessings of various goddesses. By principle, the rendition ends with any one of the following three tributes Uyyaala,Chandamama or Gouramma.Colours, flowers and water are all considered intrinsic to the festival while the goddess herself is not just rooted in a shrine but actually made of flowers that signify both life and eternity in their coloursand impermanence. The goddess is `created’ each year, and then immersed duly on the 10th day of the festival in ponds and lakes.

The plant conserve native flowering plants, which support native insects in the pollination of native crops, which in turn give better yields. The native flowering plants also have their own medicinal value with curative role in local ailments. Here are some of the flowers used in Bathukamma, which are arranged elaborately as floral stocks, depending on the varieties available in the local areas.

• Gunugu

• Tangedu

• Pattukuchhu

• Rudraksha / Chandrakantha

• Gaddipoolu

• Chamanthi

• Gummadi

• Mandaram/ Dasana

• Katla

• Nandivardhanam

• Kanakambaralu

• Banthi

• Challagutti

• Beera

• ChittiChamanthi

• Kashirathnam

• Malle

• Lilly

• Ganneru

• Gulabi

• NelaGulabi

Tangedu (Cassia auriculata) has been declared as Telangana’s state flower. There are many varieties like NelaTangedu, AdiviTangedu, TayidiTangedu, SemaTangedu. The flowers are known for their medicinal values.Tangeduflower is accorded the ritual respect equal to goddess Durga Maatha. On the last day Bathukamma, women create floral stacks and immerse them in lakes, rivers and other water bodies, which spreads the medicinal value of the flowers.