The Washington DC Bathukamma, 2012 was held on October 14 at Rachael Carlson Middle School, Herndon VA. It was a very impressive celebration. There was about a 1000-1200 strong gathering, fully dominated by women and children. Justice B.Sudarshan Reddy, Retd. Judge from Supreme Court of India was the chief guest. Sri Madhu K.Reddy; former President and present executive member of TDF, Shriram Vedire, the TDF Vice President, who is actively coordinating Telangana State issue with the national leadership of BJP in Delhi, were the guests of honor.
Many Telangana elders visiting USA have also attended the celebration. The ambience created by the festival was fantastic. Real Bathukamma locale from pastoral Telangana was translocated in to the American school campus. There was great variety of food. Many children’s games were conducted. Some lovely little cultural events like ‘Kolatam’, some ethnic dances by young girls on the side lines were delightful.
The modern Telangana ladies living for many years in USA have simply morphed in to typical Telangana women, making the on lookers to feel that they were very much in Telangana rather than in America. They were so engrossed and reluctant to stop the proceedings, but the constraint of allotted time in the school made them to relent in the end. There were scores of beautiful big, medium and small flower decked ‘Bathukammalu’. All of them were exquisite. The jury headed by the chief guest and comprising of other members have selected some of them for Prizes sponsored by TDF. Many TDF members and corporates sponsored the event and children’s activities and provided prizes for the winners.
Justice Sudarshan Reddy garu in his speech praised the organizers and the participants for making Washington DC Bathukamma festival such a grand event. He was surprised by the large gathering and the unusual passion by these modern women for Bathukamma. He was wondering whether now a days even women in the villages of Telangana are celebrating Bathukamma with such intensity. He has admired the urge for Telangana by the young men and women in USA and asked them to continue their passion till Telangana state is achieved and even after. Sri Madhu K. Reddy, who was associated with TDF since its beginning in his speech reminisced that in the year 2000 when Bathukamma was celebrated the gathering was very small. He felt very happy for the festival being celebrated now in such a big way. He had invited all to ‘TDF-Banquet Night’ to be held in New Jersey on November 3rd.
The Organizers have thanked profusely Justice Sudarshan Reddy for so graciously accepting their invitation and coming to the Batukamma Celebration. They have also thanked Sri Madhu Reddy and Sri Shriram Vedire for their gracious presence at the festival.
As usual the enthusiasm of Jagdeesh Bondugula,Vijay Krishna Chatla,Venu Nakshatram, Ramana Kanchetty, Santosh Vemula, Ravi Palla,Rajesh Madireddi and many others have made this event a great success.