Bathukamma festivity reaches crescendo
The Hindu
Clad in festive finery, women step out in hordes to twirl and sing
Days to go before the Saddula Bathukamma, the sounds of uyyala songs in all their variations rent the air.
In Kukatpally, sandwiched between the Anjaneya Swamy temple and old houses with tiled roofs, women started walking in with their flower arrangements at 6 p.m. in the area known as Bathukamma Ground.
As a senior citizen sat down on a chair and took the mike to sing Bathukamma songs from memory, the number of intricately arranged bouquets of flowers in the centre of the circle kept on increasing. Women dressed in festive finery with their sparkling gems and shimmering jewellery stepped out of SUVs with their flower arrangement before joining the troupe to clap, strike a rhythm with their feet and move in a circle.

“Walk for Equality was aimed at creating a movement to crush the forces attempting to divide the people along religious line, said Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Vaiko. Concluding his 140-kilometre ‘Samathuva nadai payanam’ from Tiruchi to Madurai on Monday, Mr. Vaiko said, “The Hindutva forces are actively attempting to drive a wedge between communities through various incidents, most notably the Thirupparankundram deepam controversy, using identity-based politics to achieve their divisive motives.”












