Quick answer: Telangana's biggest Hindu festival season is happening now: Bathukamma runs from Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 October 2026 (Saddula Bathukamma on Sunday 18 October), alongside Navratri (Sunday 11 to Monday 19 October), and Dasara falls on Tuesday 20 October 2026. Deepavali follows on Sunday 8 November. Through the year come Bonalu, the Medaram Jatara, Sri Rama Navami at Bhadrachalam, Vaikuntha Ekadashi, Maha Shivaratri at Vemulawada and Karthika Masam. This hub links HinduTone's guide to each.

Dates are for India from Drik Panchang, with Saddula Bathukamma as per the Telangana schedule. Where a 2026 date is not listed here, follow the linked guide or your local temple's announcement.

Telangana festival calendar at a glance

FestivalMonth (approx.)2026 date or guideLink
BathukammaAshvin (Sep-Oct)Sat 10 to Sun 18 Oct 2026Bathukamma 2026 dates
NavratriAshvin (Sep-Oct)Sun 11 to Mon 19 Oct 2026Navratri 2026 guide
Dasara (Vijayadashami)Ashvin (Sep-Oct)Tue 20 Oct 2026Dasara 2026 in Telangana
DeepavaliAshvin-Karthika (Oct-Nov)Sun 8 Nov 2026Diwali 2026 guide
Karthika MasamKarthika (Oct-Dec)See guideKarthika Shiva temples in Telangana
Vaikuntha EkadashiDhanurmasam (Dec-Jan)See guideVaikuntha Ekadashi in Telangana
Medaram JataraMagha (Jan-Feb), every two yearsSee guideMedaram Jatara guide
Maha ShivaratriMagha (Feb-Mar)See guideVemulawada Maha Shivaratri
Sri Rama NavamiChaitra (Mar-Apr)See guideBhadrachalam temple guide
BonaluAshada (Jun-Jul)See guideBonalu guide
BodraiVillage festival, variesSee guideBodrai festival

Bathukamma 2026: Telangana's festival of flowers

Bathukamma (commonly explained as "come alive, Mother") is the floral festival of Telangana's women, dedicated to Goddess Gauri. Each evening for nine days, women stack seasonal flowers such as tangedu and gunuka into a conical tower, place it in the courtyard or a public square, and circle it clapping and singing Bathukamma songs, before immersing it in a tank or lake at dusk.

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In 2026 it begins with Engili Pula Bathukamma on Saturday 10 October and ends with the grand Saddula Bathukamma on Sunday 18 October, when the largest Bathukammas are made and families share saddulu (flavoured rice dishes). Each of the nine days has a traditional name and naivedyam, explained in our guides:

Bathukamma runs side by side with Sharad Navratri, when temples such as Basara Gnana Saraswati and Bhadrakali in Warangal draw large crowds and homes worship the nine forms of Durga. Colours follow the popular weekday custom; lists vary, and for Days 8 and 9 they differ widely. In India, Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami are both on Monday 19 October.

DayDate (India)GoddessColour (popular custom)
Day 1Sunday 11 October 2026Maa Shailaputriorange
Day 2Monday 12 October 2026Maa Brahmachariniwhite
Day 3Tuesday 13 October 2026Maa Chandraghantared
Day 4Wednesday 14 October 2026Maa Kushmandaroyal blue
Day 5Thursday 15 October 2026Maa Skandamatayellow
Day 6Friday 16 October 2026Maa Katyayanigreen
Day 7Saturday 17 October 2026Maa Kalaratrigrey
Day 8Sunday 18 October 2026Maa Mahagaurilists differ
Day 9Monday 19 October 2026Maa Siddhidatrilists differ

For the mantras of all nine forms, see Navratri day-wise mantras and their significance, and for the whole festival, the Navratri 2026 complete guide.

Dasara 2026: Jammi puja, Palapitta and Alai Balai

Dasara on Tuesday 20 October 2026 is the climax of the season in Telangana. Three customs make it distinctive:

  • Jammi puja: in the afternoon, families worship the Jammi (Shami) tree, recalling the Pandavas who hid their weapons in it, then exchange Jammi leaves as "bangaram" (gold) and touch the feet of elders for blessings. See the Jammi leaf exchange custom.
  • Palapitta darshan: seeing the Palapitta, the blue-winged Indian roller and Telangana's state bird, on Dasara is considered auspicious, and many families go out to the fields or outskirts hoping to spot one.
  • Alai Balai: after the puja, friends, neighbours and relatives meet, embrace and exchange greetings, setting aside old differences. In Hyderabad, Alai Balai has also grown into a public cultural gathering.
  • Ayudha Puja: tools, vehicles and books are worshipped; see Ayudha Puja and Shami Puja vidhi.

Vijay Muhurat on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (India times):

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CityVijay Muhurat
Hyderabad1:57–2:44 PM
Warangal1:53–2:39 PM
Karimnagar1:54–2:41 PM
Nizamabad1:58–2:45 PM

The full state guide is Dasara 2026 in Telangana; the pan-India pillar is Dussehra / Vijayadashami 2026.

Deepavali 2026: Sunday 8 November

Deepavali falls on Sunday 8 November 2026 in India. In Telugu homes, Naraka Chaturdashi is marked with an early oil bath and lamps, remembering Krishna and Satyabhama's victory over Narakasura, and Deepavali evening brings Lakshmi puja, rows of diyas and fireworks. Muhurat and the five-day calendar are in our Diwali 2026 complete guide. Soon after, Karthika Masam begins.

The rest of Telangana's festival year

Bonalu

Celebrated through the Ashada month, Bonalu honours Mahankali, Yellamma and other forms of the Mother Goddess. Women carry the bonam, a decorated pot of rice cooked with jaggery or milk topped with a lamp, to the temple, with Pothuraju dancing ahead. Celebrations traditionally begin at Golconda and move to Ujjaini Mahankali in Secunderabad and Lal Darwaza in Hyderabad's old city. It is Telangana's official state festival. See the Bonalu guide.

Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

Held every two years in the forests of Medaram in Mulugu district, this festival of the Koya community honours the mother-and-daughter warrior goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma. Pilgrims offer bangaram, jaggery equal to their own weight, and it is counted among the largest tribal gatherings in Asia. See the Medaram Jatara guide.

Sri Rama Navami Kalyanam at Bhadrachalam

On Sri Rama Navami in Chaitra, the celestial wedding of Sita and Rama is celebrated at the Bhadrachalam temple on the Godavari, built by the devotee Kancherla Gopanna (Bhakta Ramadasu). By long tradition, pearl talambralu and silk clothes are presented on behalf of the state. See the Bhadrachalam temple guide.

Vaikuntha Ekadashi at Yadagirigutta and Chilkur

On Vaikuntha (Mukkoti) Ekadashi, Vishnu temples open the northern Uttara Dwaram for darshan. In Telangana the crowds gather at the Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Yadagirigutta (Yadadri) and at Chilkur Balaji near Hyderabad. See Vaikuntha Ekadashi in Telangana.

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Maha Shivaratri at Vemulawada

The Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple at Vemulawada, one of Telangana's most visited Shiva shrines, holds a large jatara on Maha Shivaratri, with night-long worship and the distinctive kode mokku vow. See the Vemulawada Maha Shivaratri guide.

Karthika Masam

The month of Karthika is sacred to Shiva: Telugu families light lamps morning and evening, fast on Mondays (Karthika Somavaram) and visit Shiva temples. Our Karthika Masam 2026 Shiva temples in Telangana guide and the Karthika Masam 2026 overview have the dates.

Bodrai

Bodrai (Boddurai) is the sacred stone installed at the heart of many Telangana villages as its protector, and its installation or renewal is celebrated by the whole village. See the Bodrai festival guide.

Earlier in 2026, Vinayaka Chavithi fell on Monday 14 September; Hyderabad's immersion processions are covered in Hyderabad Ganesh Nimajjanam: Khairatabad and Balapur.

Telangana temples

Many of these festivals centre on Telangana's great temples. Our guides cover their deities, legends, architecture and how to reach them; for current darshan timings, check each temple's official website.

For Telugu NRI families

Telangana associations abroad usually hold Bathukamma and Dasara on the weekends around the festival, so check your local association's announcement. Note that Drik lists Durga Ashtami on Sunday 18 October and Maha Navami on Monday 19 October in the USA, Canada and the UK. Our country guides:

Also read: Telugu Deepavali traditions and Telugu Deepavali sweets.

Frequently asked questions

When is Bathukamma 2026 in Telangana?

Bathukamma 2026 runs for nine days from Engili Pula Bathukamma on Saturday 10 October to Saddula Bathukamma on Sunday 18 October 2026, as per the Telangana schedule. Dasara follows on Tuesday 20 October 2026.

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When is Dasara 2026 in Telangana?

Dasara (Vijayadashami) is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (Drik Panchang). The Vijay Muhurat is 1:57 to 2:44 PM in Hyderabad, 1:53 to 2:39 PM in Warangal, 1:54 to 2:41 PM in Karimnagar and 1:58 to 2:45 PM in Nizamabad (India times).

What are the main Dasara customs in Telangana?

Families perform Jammi (Shami) puja and exchange Jammi leaves as "gold" with elders and friends, many try to catch a glimpse of the Palapitta (Indian roller bird), considered auspicious on Dasara, and people meet and embrace in Alai Balai, the custom of greeting one another after the festival. Vehicles and tools are also worshipped in Ayudha Puja.

When is Bonalu celebrated?

Bonalu is celebrated during the Ashada month, which usually falls in June to July. Women carry the bonam, a decorated pot of cooked rice offered to the Goddess, to Mahankali and Yellamma temples, starting from Golconda. See our Bonalu guide for the year's dates.

How often is the Medaram Jatara held?

The Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, the great festival of the Koya community in Mulugu district, is held every two years. Our Medaram guide covers its story, rituals and how pilgrims travel there.

Is Deepavali on the same day in Telangana as in the rest of India in 2026?

Yes. Deepavali is on Sunday 8 November 2026 in India. Many Telugu families mark Naraka Chaturdashi with an early oil bath and lamps, followed by Lakshmi puja and fireworks on Deepavali evening.

Editor's note (8 October 2026)

This hub was compiled on 8 October 2026. India dates for Navratri, Dasara and Deepavali are from Drik Panchang; Saddula Bathukamma (Sunday 18 October) follows the Telangana schedule; Vijay Muhurat times are for the listed cities in India. For festivals without a confirmed 2026 date here, see the linked guides and your local temple. Navratri colours are a popular custom and lists vary.