Scores of women donning the traditional attire participated in the Bathukamma maha pradarshana organised by the district administration on the DSA grounds here on Sunday evening.
Minister for Agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy lit the traditional lamp to mark the occasion. Local MLA Bigala Ganesh Gupta, Nizamabad rural MLA Bajireddy Govardhan, MLC V.G. Goud, Zilla Parishad chairman D. Raju, Mayor Akula Sujatha, and Collector Yogitha Rana were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who highly respects women, declared Bathukamma as a State festival and directed officials to celebrate it officially.
“Today, the Bathukamma festival has become famous all over the world thanks to the efforts of Nizamabad MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha,” he said.
Ms. Rana described the Bathukamma as a great festival and a symbol of respect for women.
“If every girl wants to live respectfully, she must go to school, play Bathukamma, and have the lavatory at home,” she said.
Prizes
Later, the dignitaries handed over cash prizes and pattu saris to the women who won the rangoli competition held on October 7.
While G. Sandhyarani of Yedapally bagged the first prize (Rs. 5,000), the second prize (Rs. 3,000) was given to Navaneetha of Namdevwada. Tirumala Vineetha of Mubaraknagar bagged the third prize of Rs. 2,000.
