Women playing Bathukamma, folk artistes matching their step to the beats of dappu, caparisoned bulls (Gangireddulu) shaking a leg in tandem with their traditionally-attired handlers, Chindu Bhagavatham artistes showing their verve and Lambadas dancing in their colourful dresses. Visitors to Jalavihar on the banks of Hussainsagar had a visual feast of Telangana art forms being played out in full flow on Thursday.
Named ‘Alai Balai’, the eighth edition of the post-Dasara annual get-together organised by former Union minister and BJP senior leader Bandaru Dattatreya was enjoyed alike by all sections of people and invitees -- politicos of all hues and pro-Telangana leaders.
The guests were treated to mouthwatering traditional Telangana dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
Speakers on the occasion felt the need to conserve the cultural and traditional identity of the Telangana region and to work with coordination for achieving a separate state.
Dattatreya said coming together of all people of the region irrespective of their caste, creed and religion after Dasara, an age-old tradition of the region, was the main objective of the event.
Home minister P Sabita Indra Reddy inaugurated the event by performing Durga puja.