Popular Festivals in the Telugu speaking region
The state of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are known of their color and the festivals that are thoroughly enjoyable. Since, the culture in different states of India is varied; the religious beliefs and the festivals in these states are also different. Most of the people in the Telugu speaking state of the Andhra Pradesh belong to the Hindu community and thus they worship the Hindu deity.
There are a number of telugu festivals that take place throughout the year in the Telugu speaking region of Andhra. Here is some brief highlight on some of the important telugu festivals that are celebrated very passionately by the people:
Makara Sankranthi
Makara Sankranthi is one of the most important telugu festivals celebrated by the Telugu community as well as other communities in India which is enthusiastically celebrated by the people. The festival lasts for four days and is like a feast for the people. The most important day is the second one in which the people reject old and dilapidated things and seek for fresh start in their life. Then they offer food to their ancestors and create a Rangoli in their houses. On the other days, known as Bhogi, Kanuma and Mukkanuma, the celebration continues with people enjoying themselves.
Ugadi
Ugadi is the also one among the renowned telugu festivals better known as the Telugu New Year day which begins in the month of The Chaitra (April or May). The people in the region celebrate this day with enthusiasm and the celebrations for the festival begins weeks prior to the festival. On the festival day, people decorate their house entrances with mango leaves in order to please their beloved deity Kartik who is called to be very fond of the mangoes.
Ugadi Pachadi is the famous dish that is associated with the festival and contains as many as six different types of ingredients. The six different flavors are said to define the six different types of feeling that you are going to face in the upcoming year. Other tasty dishes known as the Bobattu and Puran poli are prepared on the day.
Bathukamma
Bathukamma or the festival of flowers is one of the most enjoyed telugu festivals that is celebrated by the people of the Telugu community during the Navaratri period. The festival lasts for nine days during the Navaratri period in which the women worship Goddess Gauri by offering flowers and also keeps them their house and court-yard clean. The women make use of different variety of flowers like the Marigold, Indian lotus, curcumas and others.
In the evenings, the women and young girls gather around an open space having their Bathukamma in their hands and chanting some old folk songs. Each day is given a different name and has a special ritual that makes it a thoroughly enjoyable festival. They also use the cow-dung as it is said to be pure and considered as sacred in the Hindu religion. On the last day of the festival, people celebrate with passion after immersion of Bathukamma in the water sources. Various sweets and special dishes are prepared by the people around the state.