HYDERABAD: Bathukamma, the nine-day-long state floral festival, begins on Wednesday but women are anxious as it is going to be a daunting task for them to arrange Ganugu puvvu (Celosia flower), a must-have flower for the festival. Usually, the festival falls in October but, this year, it has arrived 20 days in advance when Ganugu puvvu is not in full bloom and is, therefore, not available in abundance. “The Ganugu flower blooms by October in empty and non-agricultural lands in and around the city and it will take at least 15 more days for them to bloom this time.
As it has advanced, it looks like the women have to celebrate it without this must-have flower,” said an official of the state horticulture department. When asked about the arrangements being made for procuring the flower from neighbouring districts, the official said, “We will advise farmers in particular districts to come and sell their produce in city, but we have no plans to procure them ourselves.”
With the shortage of flowers in the local market, women are making alternative arrangements for celebrations by arranging Bathukamma with marigold, chrysanthemum and other flowers available in the market. Usually, these Ganugu flowers are dyed in different colours and arranged. “Tangedu puvvu (Tanner’s cassia) and Ganugu are most important flowers, but this time we can’t find a single Ganugu flower in the market which, I believe, is a bad omen,” said P Shailaja, a woman, who was on a visit to the Gudimalkapur wholesale flower market.
Celosia (Gunugu)
It is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory. Its leaves are used for treating infected sores
Tanner’s cassia (Tangedu)
It plays a major role in herbalism and folk medicine
Marigold (Banti)
It is a antiseptic herb. Active chemical constitutents found in it are fungicidal
Chrysanthemum (Chamanti)
It is a source of antioxidants that help in preventing and treating diseases
Indian lotus (Thamera)
Lotus flowers contain linoleic acid, protein, phosphorus, iron and vitamins B and C
Cucurbita (Gummadi)
It is used as anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory
Cucumis (Dosa)
It is used as folk medicine to treat ailments of the stomach
Ipomoea (Katla)
It has anti-cancer,
anti-diabetic properties
Luffa (Beera)
The root is used for dropsy
and as a laxative
Tridax (Gaddi)
Antiviral, anti-oxidant, antibiotic efficacies, wound healing activity to stop bleeding
Ajwain (Vamu)
It reduces gastric disorders
Grand Celebration
This year, it is going
to be celebrated from September 20 to 28
Saddula Bathukamma will be celebrated on September 28 across the state and abroad
More than 35,000 women
are expected to sync their dance steps with Bathukamma songs at LB Stadium on September 28
Bathukamma App
The Bathukamma app, which was launched in 2015, has already registered over 1.5 lakh downloads. It has become a big hit more with those who settled abroad than the locals