Bathukamma 2026 Dates: Engili Pula (10 October) to Saddula Bathukamma (19 October)
Bathukamma 2026 dates for Telangana: Engili Pula Bathukamma begins on Mahalaya Amavasya, Saturday 10 October, and Saddula Bathukamma falls on Durgashtami, Monday 19 October 2026. A guide to the nine named days and their naivedyam, the flowers, the songs, the immersion, and how Telugu families celebrate abroad.
Bathukamma 2026 dates for Telangana: Engili Pula Bathukamma begins on Mahalaya Amavasya, Saturday 10 October, and Saddula Bathukamma falls on Durgashtami, Monday 19 October 2026. A guide to the nine named days and their naivedyam, the flowers, the songs, the immersion, and how Telugu families celebrate abroad.
Quick answer: The Bathukamma 2026 dates in Telangana are expected to run from Engili Pula Bathukamma on Saturday 10 October 2026 (Mahalaya Amavasya) to Saddula Bathukamma on Monday 19 October 2026 (Durgashtami), per Drik Panchang dates for India. Dasara (Vijayadashami) follows on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Because the festival follows lunar tithis, please confirm the final dates with the official Telangana government or temple announcement.
This guide has been restored at its original hindutone.com address. It explains the nine named days of Bathukamma, the food offered on each day, the flowers, the songs and the immersion, and how Telugu families celebrate in India and abroad.
What is Bathukamma?
Bathukamma is the flower festival of Telangana, celebrated by women during the nine days of Sharad Navratri. The name is usually explained as 'Bathuku, Amma', meaning 'Come alive, Mother', a prayer to the Goddess as the giver of life. Bathukamma is seen as a form of Goddess Gauri, and the festival celebrates nature, the monsoon harvest, and the strength of women and family life.
Each evening women arrange seasonal flowers in circular layers on a wide plate to make a cone-shaped flower tower, also called a Bathukamma. They place it in the centre of a courtyard or open ground, stand in a circle around it, clap in rhythm and sing traditional songs. At the end of the day the Bathukamma is gently immersed in a pond, lake or tank. Bathukamma has been celebrated as the official state festival of Telangana since the state was formed in 2014.
For the meaning of the festival in more depth, see Bathukamma Festival: Significance for Telangana.
Bathukamma 2026 dates at a glance
| Event | Date in India (2026) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Engili Pula Bathukamma (day 1) | Saturday 10 October | Mahalaya Amavasya (Sarva Pitru Amavasya) |
| Sharad Navratri begins | Sunday 11 October | Ashvin Shukla Pratipada |
| Saddula Bathukamma (day 9) | Monday 19 October | Durgashtami |
| Dasara / Vijayadashami | Tuesday 20 October | Vijayadashami |
All dates are India dates from Drik Panchang. Bathukamma begins on Mahalaya Amavasya, one day before Navratri starts, and ends on Durgashtami. In 2026, Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami fall on the same day in India, Monday 19 October.
The nine days of Bathukamma and their naivedyam
Each of the nine days has its own name, which comes from the food offered (naivedyam) to the Goddess that day. The offerings below are the ones commonly followed. Families and villages may vary them.
| Day | Name | Common naivedyam |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engili Pula Bathukamma | Sesame seeds (nuvvulu) with rice flour or broken rice (nookalu) |
| 2 | Atukula Bathukamma | Flattened rice (atukulu) with jaggery and lentils |
| 3 | Muddapappu Bathukamma | Soft-cooked lentils (muddapappu) with milk and jaggery |
| 4 | Nanabiyyam Bathukamma | Soaked rice (nanabiyyam) with milk and jaggery |
| 5 | Atla Bathukamma | Small dosas or pancakes (atlu) |
| 6 | Aligina Bathukamma (also called Alaka) | Traditionally no naivedyam; a day of rest |
| 7 | Vepakayala Bathukamma | Fried rice-flour snacks shaped like neem fruits (vepakayalu) |
| 8 | Vennamuddala Bathukamma | Butter or ghee with sesame and jaggery (venna muddalu) |
| 9 | Saddula Bathukamma | Several kinds of flavoured rice (saddulu), such as curd rice, tamarind rice, lemon rice, coconut rice and sesame rice |
Why the day-by-day mapping can shift: In 2026 Engili Pula falls on 10 October and Saddula on 19 October, which is ten calendar days for nine named days. This happens because the festival follows tithis, and tithis do not always match the civil date. When tithis overlap or one tithi covers two days, the named days in between are adjusted. We have therefore not given a fixed date for days 2 to 8. Please follow the Telangana government announcement or your local temple for the exact day-by-day calendar.
On Aligina Bathukamma, the sixth day, there is a common belief that the Goddess is upset or resting, so in many places no food is offered and the Bathukamma is not made. Customs differ, so follow the elders in your family.
Engili Pula Bathukamma: the first day
Engili Pula Bathukamma is held on Mahalaya Amavasya, the new moon that ends Pitru Paksha. The word 'engili' is usually understood to mean 'used' or 'touched', and one common explanation is that the flowers for the first day are gathered on the previous day. Women prepare the first Bathukamma, sing the opening songs and offer a simple naivedyam of sesame and rice flour. In 2026 this falls on Saturday 10 October in India.
Saddula Bathukamma: the grand finale
Saddula Bathukamma is the biggest day of the festival. Families make the tallest and most colourful Bathukamma of the season, and whole neighbourhoods gather in the evening. Women dress in new silk sarees and jewellery, and the singing and dancing continue for hours. Several kinds of flavoured rice (saddulu) are cooked and shared, which gives the day its name.
At the end of the evening the Bathukammas are carried in procession to a lake, pond or tank and gently immersed in the water, with songs asking the Goddess to return next year. Women then share the saddulu and sweets, and often exchange a small gift of turmeric and kumkum. In 2026 Saddula Bathukamma is expected on Monday 19 October in India, the day before Dasara.
Flowers, Gauramma and the songs
- Tangedu: The bright yellow tangedu flower (Senna auriculata) is closely linked with Bathukamma and with Telangana.
- Gunuka: Gunuka flowers (Celosia) are often dyed in pink, green or purple to make colourful layers.
- Other flowers: Banti (marigold), chamanti (chrysanthemum), gummadi (pumpkin) flowers, lotus and other seasonal blooms are added.
- Gauramma: A small cone of turmeric representing Goddess Gauri is placed on top of the Bathukamma, and women apply this turmeric after the puja.
- Songs: Bathukamma songs are sung in Telugu in a call-and-response style while women clap and move in a circle. Many songs tell stories of goddesses, family life and village history, often with the familiar refrain 'Bathukamma Bathukamma uyyalo'.
Choose flowers from your own area if the traditional ones are not available. The spirit of Bathukamma is to honour nature with what grows around you.
Bathukamma celebrations around the world
Telugu families have carried Bathukamma to many countries. Telugu associations and Hindu temples in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Gulf, Singapore and Malaysia hold large Bathukamma and Dasara gatherings, usually on a weekend close to Saddula Bathukamma. Immersion is often done symbolically in a tub of water or at a permitted site, following local environmental rules.
Note that local panchang dates can differ abroad. Drik Panchang lists Durga Ashtami on 18 October 2026 in the USA, Canada and the UK, and Mahalaya (Sarva Pitru) Amavasya on 9 October in the USA and Canada. Check your local temple calendar. For country guides, see Dussehra and Bathukamma 2026 in the USA, Bathukamma and Dasara 2026 in Canada and Bathukamma 2026 in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
When does Bathukamma start in 2026?
Engili Pula Bathukamma, the first day, falls on Mahalaya Amavasya. In India this is Saturday 10 October 2026, per Drik Panchang. Please follow the official announcement from the Telangana government or your local temple for the final dates.
When is Saddula Bathukamma in 2026?
Saddula Bathukamma, the grand final day, is held on Durgashtami. In India, Durga Ashtami falls on Monday 19 October 2026, per Drik Panchang, so Saddula Bathukamma is expected on that day. Dasara (Vijayadashami) follows on Tuesday 20 October 2026.
Why are there ten calendar days between Engili Pula and Saddula in 2026?
Bathukamma follows the lunar tithis, not the civil calendar. In 2026 the tithis do not line up exactly with the dates, so the nine named days are spread over 10 to 19 October. That is why the day-by-day mapping can shift, and why local announcements matter.
Which flowers are used to make Bathukamma?
The most loved flowers are tangedu (Senna auriculata, with bright yellow blossoms) and gunuka (Celosia, often dyed in different colours). Families also use banti (marigold), chamanti (chrysanthemum), gummadi (pumpkin) flowers and other seasonal flowers. A small figure of Gauramma made from turmeric is placed on top.
Is Bathukamma celebrated outside India?
Yes. Telugu associations and temples in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Gulf, Singapore and Malaysia hold Bathukamma celebrations every year, often on a weekend close to Saddula Bathukamma. Check your local Telugu association or temple for its event dates.
Editor's note
Editor's note (6 October 2026): This guide has been restored at its original address after the earlier version was lost. Dates are India dates from Drik Panchang: Mahalaya Amavasya on Saturday 10 October, Durga Ashtami on Monday 19 October, and Vijayadashami on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Engili Pula and Saddula Bathukamma are placed on these days by tradition. The calendar for days 2 to 8 depends on how the tithis fall, so please follow the official Telangana government or temple announcement. Naivedyam lists vary between families and regions.
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