With water scarcity threatening the smooth conduct of Saddula Bathukamma, residents of Arepally area in Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) have taken the initiative to repair and fill a dry canal with water, so that women can release their Bathukamma floral arrangements into water as part of the traditional farewell ritual. (Representational Image: DC)

 HANAMKONDA: With water scarcity threatening the smooth conduct of Saddula Bathukamma, residents of Arepally area in Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) have taken the initiative to repair and fill a dry canal with water, so that women can release their Bathukamma floral arrangements into water as part of the traditional farewell ritual.

Bathukamma is Telangana’s vibrant festival, celebrating nature, tradition, and the cultural identity of women. On Saddula Bathukamma, the grand finale of the nine-day festival, women immerse their floral arrangements in water bodies.

However, several canals and water bodies have run dry amid water scarcity, making the immersion arrangements difficult.

Undeterred, residents of GVMC Division 3 have cleaned the canal in their area and pumped water from an agricultural borewell using motors. They have constructed temporary bunds on both sides to prevent the water from draining away. Their collective effort has gradually filled the dry canal, enabling women to immerse their Bathukamma floral offerings as part of the celebrations.

Residents have thus symbolically brought Ganga into the dry canal for bidding farewell to Gauramma.

The initiative reflects community participation and a commitment to preserving cultural traditions despite environmental challenges. Instead of waiting for outside intervention, residents worked together and used locally available water resources to ensure that the age-old tradition can continue.

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