This is my first photo challenge for the Flower of the Day Challenge and it’s in response to the Flower of the Day Challenge by Cee Neuner Here’s the link to her blog https://ceenphotography.com/flower-of-the-day-fotd-challenge/

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I chose a picture from a fun cultural and religious function for the ladies that is called Bathukamma. Bathukamma is a floral festival that is celebrated predominantly by the women of Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh in Southern India. Every year this festival is celebrated as per Shathavahana calendar for nine days starting on Bhadrapada Pournami and lasting until Durgashtami, usually in September or October of the Gregorian calendar.

Bathukamma represents cultural spirit of Telangana. Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers. In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma’ means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’ and Goddess Maha Gauri-‘Life Giver’ is worshipped in the form of Bathukamma – the patron goddess of womanhood, Gauri Devi.

It is the festival for feminine felicitation. On this special occasion women dress up in the traditional sari combining it with jewels and other accessories. Teenage Girls wear Langa-Oni/Half-Sarees/Lehenga Choli combining it with jewels in order to bring out the traditional grace of the attire. After they dress up, all the girls and ladies get together and dance around the flower arrangement stack that they have made. There is a contest on who made the most beautiful and unique flower stack arrangement.