The festivities began on a spiritual note with a traditional “Shami pooja”, conducted by a temple priest
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The spirit of Telangana came alive in the heart of Michigan as the Global Telangana Association (GTA) Detroit Chapter hosted its third Bathukamma and Dasara celebrations at the Studio Center that witnessed a record-breaking attendance, with over 1,500 members of the Telugu community coming together for a vibrant display of culture and tradition.
The venue was transformed into a riot of colours, with women and young girls adorned in beautiful silk sarees and traditional langa vonis. The centrepiece of the celebration, however, was the hundreds of intricately arranged Bathukamma flower mounds, brought by attendees as an offering to Goddess Gowri and Mother Nature.
The air resonated with the rhythm of devotional songs as participants danced in circles around the floral stacks, their synchronized claps and movements creating a mesmerizing spectacle.
The venue was transformed into a riot of colours, with women and young girls adorned in beautiful silk sarees and traditional langa vonis.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Suvarna Nagireddy, visiting her son’s family in Michigan, was happy to be part of the celebrations thousands of miles away from her home, Hyderabad. “I sincerely appreciate Global Telangana Association for keeping our culture and traditions alive for future generations in America,” she said.
“Worshipping the Goddess of Nature, that is the core of our culture. The flowers, leaves, and herbs are not just decorations. They are a symbol of uniting with nature, of respecting Her as a mother. As they circle, what the women sing is one truth: Nature is not ours, but we are a part of nature,” said Esha Gangasani, who is also visiting her daughter in Novi.
The festivities began on a spiritual note with a traditional “Shami pooja”, conducted by a temple priest, Vara Prasad Sharma, who explained the profound significance of the Dasara festival to the gathering.
A sumptuous feast, specially prepared by the local Indian Restaurant, Tawa was served to all 1,500 attendees. The GTA USA Board, led by its President, Praveen Kesireddy, Board of Trustees, Krishna Prasad Jaligama, Mahesh Venukadasula, Mallikarjun Padukone and Santosh Kakulavaram, GTA Detroit Board, headed by President, Kamal Pinnapureddy, President-Elect, Venkat Vadnala (2026-28) and the working committee members, Laxminarayana Karnala, Sathyadhir Gangasani, Sushma Padukone, Suma Kalvala and Swapna Chintapalli, GTA Standing Committee Chairpersons, Prem Chintapalli, Sriram Jala, Yugandhar Bhumireddy and Karunakar Kandukuri, Executive & Advisory Board members, mainly Arun Bachu, Yadagiri Ileni, Sainath Lachireddygari, Goverdhan Pinnamreddy, Sandeep Narayanappa, Praveen Muddasani and Sreekanth Reddy Chintala presented plaques to the sponsors, patrons and volunteers, and gave away prizes to the winners of ‘Best Bathukamma’ contest.
Published – October 01, 2025 08:05 pm IST
