At Tank Bund, organisers added a light show in the middle of Hussain Sagar, projecting vivid patterns over the waters.
Published Oct 01, 2025 | 12:05 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 01, 2025 | 12:05 PM
Tank Bund comes alive with Bathukamma celebrations in Hyderabad.
Synopsis: Thousands of women gathered in Hyderabad on 28 September to celebrate Bathukamma, Telangana’s floral festival. At Tank Bund, organisers added a light show in the middle of Hussain Sagar, projecting vivid patterns over the waters.
Hyderabad’s Tank Bund burst into colour and sound on the evening of Sunday, 28 September, as thousands of women gathered along Necklace Road to celebrate Bathukamma, Telangana’s floral festival. The usually traffic-choked stretch transformed into a festive arena of flowers, sarees, songs, and drumbeats.
The air smelled different, too. Instead of the foul odour that Hussain Sagar often carries, the fragrance of freshly arranged blossoms drifted across the lake.
Women gathering with flowers to celebrate Bathukamma.
Women placed Bathukammas, tiered arrangements of bright yellow, pink, white, and orange flowers, at the centre of circles and danced around them. They clapped rhythmically, sang folk songs, and kept the momentum alive as women joined or left the circles without ever letting the celebration pause.
Drummers pounded out beats that quickened the pace of the dances and pushed the energy higher.
“We celebrated in our communities, usually. However, this is the first time we are all coming outside Khairatabad to celebrate Bathukamma,” said 44-year-old Kamalamma, who arrived with seven friends.
“We are finding it really enjoyable. While the crowd is too huge, that is an expected challenge. It is a festival, it’s ok,” she said.
This year, the government scaled up Bathukamma celebrations, which drew residents out of their neighbourhoods. Many attendees said they welcomed the larger gatherings.
People gathered for Bathukamma celebrations.
“This is our culture and our tradition, so it is good that the government is organising such events to promote it,” said 26-year-old Sriya Pasham, who came with her mother and sister. “I was also at the world record Bathukamma on 27 September. It has been a fun week for us, a break from the routine IT hustle and bustle of this city. This is another side you don’t get to see often,” she added.
The state made headlines just a day earlier. On 28 September, Telangana set two Guinness World Records: one for building the world’s largest Bathukamma at 63.11 feet, completely biodegradable, and another for staging the world’s largest Telangana folk dance with 1,354 dancers.
At Tank Bund, organisers added a light show in the middle of Hussain Sagar, projecting vivid patterns over the waters. Reflections of the lights rippled across the lake, layering spectacle onto the already colourful scene.
After weeks of rain that washed out smaller events across the city, the skies cleared just in time. By dusk, the celebrations filled the stretch of road with music, movement, and a sea of flowers.
Bathukamma at Tank Bund didn’t just showcase devotion. It pulled people together, turned the city’s most iconic space into a cultural stage, and gave Hyderabad a chance to revel in tradition with unabashed joy.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
