Bathukamma, the floral festival of Telangana considered as the symbol of the state’s cultural identity, got off to a colourful start on Friday with women enthusiastically taking part in festivities across the state.

A festive atmosphere prevailed in Hyderabad and nine other districts of the state.

Attired in their best, women arranged flowers and played around it to mark the beginning of the 10-day festival.

This is the third year that Bathukamma is being celebrated as a state festival by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government.

The festivities were held at the offices of the district collectors and at the residences of ministers, legislators and TRS leaders. School and college girls participated in the celebrations.

At Telangana Bhavan in New Delhi, central minister Smirit Irani took part in the celebrations. Central minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Telangana’s special representative in Delhi, Venugopala Chary, were present.

Taking the festival abroad this year, Telangana Jagruthi president and MP K. Kavita joined the festivities in the United Arab Emirates on Friday.

Kavitha played ‘Bathukamma’ along with Telugu women in Dubai. The Lok Sabha member, who is daughter of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, is visiting nine countries this year to take part in the celebrations.

Kavitha said the festival was not only a symbol of the unique culture of Telangana but it also played a key role in the movement for formation of Telangana state as it brought together the women.

The festival is celebrated during the latter half of the monsoon with exotic flowers grown in each region.

Women make small Bathukammas by arranging colourful flowers, play and sing around them every evening.

On the last day, menfolk of the house go into the wild plains and gather the flowers. The entire household sits down to arrange them in stacks. The Bathukamma is then placed before the family deity and prayers are offered. It is later immersed in local ponds.