Telangana NRI Forum(TeNF) conducted Bathukamma and Dasara celebrations on a grand scale. Event was held at Lampton School auditorium in west London. Around 1000 plus Telanganites attended the event from different parts of UK.
Colourful Bathukammas were prepared by Telangana women living in the UK. Every one appreciated the way women participated in traditional puja and dance though they are staying abroad. Even children participated in the festival with small sized Bathukammas. As per tradition, Bathukammas were drowned in water and sacred food (‘SaddulaPrasadam’) was offered to everyone. Every one prayed to Sacred Shami Tree, usually prayed during Dasara which was brought from India.
Bathukamma event this year by TeNF was not limited to celebrations, but responding to Telangana Jagruthi supremo and Nizamabad TRS MP Kalkvakuntla Kavitha’s campaign to ‘Adopt a Farmer’, a separate stall was created to explain about the measures taken by Mrs Kavitha and the government to assist and provide reassurance to farmers.
Also, as responsible Telangana NRIs from the days of agitation to the current rebuilding, Telangana NRI Forum has decided to handover the money collected in the event to Mrs Kavitha for the ‘adopt a farmer’ campaign. Attendees praised the organisation’s commitment towards farmers.
Indian High Commission representative Vijay Vasnathan, UK MPs Virendra Sharma, Seema Malhotra, Ruth Cadbury and London MLA Dr Onkar Sahota, Councillors Pritamand Mrs Grewal were among the guests.
UK Women MPs who attended as special guests participated in Bathukamma and Kolatam dance filling joy in all other participants.
Best Bathukamma awards were presented. First –LayaRupesh, Second – Swapna, Third –Meenakshi. Raffle winners of gold were first – Raju, sSecond – Anvesh, Third – Gopi.
Attendees opined that it was great fun that all Telangana families gathered and celebrated the event.
TeNF President Ceeka Chandrashekar Goud, Vice President Pavithra Reddy, Events Incharge Nagesh Reddy organised the event. Co-Founder – TeNF and NRI TRS Cell President Anil Kurmachalam, Advisory Board Chairman Uday Nagaraju, General Secretary Praveen Reddy, Joint Secretaries Sudhakar Goud and Rathnaker Kaddula, Advisory Board member Pramod Anthati, Treasurers Ashok Dusari and Venkat Reddy, Women’s wing Incharge Suma Devi, Charity Incharge Archana Juvvadi, Sports Incharge Naveen Reddy, Naresh Kumar, Media Secretary Malla Reddy, Cultural coordinator Shushumna Reddy, Swathi, Meenakshi, Nirmala, Shouri, Swapna, committee members Manda Sunil, Shivaji Shinde, Vikram Reddy, Rajesh Verma, Hari Goud, Srikanth Jella, Vamshi Chitti, Swamy Asha, Satyam Kandi, Sunil, RanguVenkat, Vani and others participated in the event.