Saddula Bathukamma 2026

Saddula Bathukamma is the last and grandest day of the nine-day Bathukamma festival of Telangana. It falls on Ashwayuja Shukla Ashtami, which is also Durgashtami. Women build the tallest and most beautiful Bathukammas of the season, offer several kinds of saddulu (mixed rice dishes) and give the goddess a grand farewell.

What Are Saddulu?

Saddi means mixed rice. On this day homes prepare perugannam (curd rice), chintapandu pulihora, lemon rice, coconut rice and sesame rice, which gives the day its name. Many families also make maleeda, crushed roti mixed with jaggery and ghee, as naivedyam and share it with everyone.

The Celebration

Across Telangana the evening reaches its peak as women in silk sarees carry their Bathukammas on their heads to the village centre. Hundreds of Bathukammas are placed together, and women circle them in rings, clapping and singing. Married daughters come home to their parents to celebrate this day together.

How to Perform the Puja

• Stack a large Bathukamma in many layers with tangedu, gunugu, banti and chamanti flowers.
• Place Gauramma made of turmeric on top, worship with pasupu and kumkuma, and light a lamp.
• Offer the saddulu and maleeda as naivedyam.
• After singing and dancing in the evening, immerse the Bathukamma in a tank, bidding her to return next year.
• After immersion, women apply the turmeric of Gauramma to their mangalasutram and share saddulu and prasadam.

Link with Durgashtami

Since Saddula Bathukamma falls on Durgashtami of Sharannavaratri, Telangana celebrates Durga puja and Bathukamma together, followed by Navami and Vijayadashami. The festival is a thanksgiving to nature for flowers, water and harvest, and a celebration of women's togetherness, in which the whole village joins as one.

May Bathukamma Talli keep every home green and happy until she returns next year.