Swetha Shenoy wrote:

Hello Usha gaaru, thanks for the post, Happy Navratri to you

Here in the newly formed Telangana, we do something called as 'Bathukamma' where a pot or vessal or plate is adorned with various flowers (known as saddula)and ladies (young, old, married, unmarried) form circles and dance with clap to Bathukamma 

It is the newly recognized festival of Telangana

Happy Navratra. Indeed it is time when we are saying good bye to summer and welcome to winter. Navratra fast pure our body and prepare for winter. We are from different part of country but we are celebrating festivals at this time. What is the name of festival is meaning less. Enjoy festival season. Here in my city Ramlila has begun. Happy dushara, Durga puja and Bathukamma. Plz write more about your festival Bathukammar.

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Bathukamma is the floral festival of Telengana state, This festival falls on Mahalaya Amavasya. This festival is celebrated by the Hindu women of Telangana state. Starting from today Bathukamma festivities last for 9 days

Swetha Shenoy wrote:

Hello Usha gaaru, thanks for the post, Happy Navratri to you

Here in the newly formed Telangana, we do something called as 'Bathukamma' where a pot or vessal or plate is adorned with various flowers (known as saddula)and ladies (young, old, married, unmarried) form circles and dance with clap to Bathukamma 

It is the newly recognized festival of Telangana

Beautiful!! Your post reminded me of a long forgotten tradition of Maharashtrians during Navratri. It is called Bhondla in which a decorated statue of an elephant is kept or an elephant is drawn in rangoli and decorated with flowers. Around this, women and girls make circles and go around with hands held singling traditional songs. When I was in school, we enjoyed it almost every year because after all the songs were sung, we would get a treat of lots of sweets and savouries, but first we had to guess what was in the covered dishes. If we got it right, we got double the share. But now hardly any one celebrates it for the Garba and Ras Dandiya fever has caught on to every one.

@usha manohar and all the other forum members, kindly accept my greetings on Durga Puja. It is indeed a great time for Bengalis and the Bengalis like me who stay outside Bengal miss a lot. Though in Delhi, Bihar and other cities where Bengali community is in huge number, they do celebrate the festival quite pompously. The intensity of the festive spirit is undoubtedly less than Bengal but still it is worth visiting the puja pandals.

I wish you a Happy Durga puja to you and your family members.

I am well conversant with Bengal culture because most of my friends are Bengalis. Durga Puja cannot be celebrated with the same intensity by those Bengalis who live outside Bengal because of many reasons. The major reason is all the material required for the Puja especially the Murti or the idol and Dhak players. Owing to these reasons, Bengalis who live i Outside Bengal. Of course the devotion remains the same.

Shampa Sadhya wrote:

@usha manohar and all the other forum members, kindly accept my greetings on Durga Puja. It is indeed a great time for Bengalis and the Bengalis like me who stay outside Bengal miss a lot. Though in Delhi, Bihar and other cities where Bengali community is in huge number, they do celebrate the festival quite pompously. The intensity of the festive spirit is undoubtedly less than Bengal but still it is worth visiting the puja pandals.

Durga Puja greetings to you too Shampa. Which city do you live in>? Because I live in Pune and there are several places where Bengalis of Pune come together and celebrate Durja Puja exactly the way they do in WB. I have several Bengali friends, grown up with many in fact  and since my father is IAF retiree, during my growing up school years we used to participate in Durga Puja celebrations each year in Pune Air Force Station. Although I do not get to participate now, I at least try to go to Durga Puja during Ashtami!

Hello @Kalyani, I am a Bengali but born and brought up in Bihar. I got married to a Bengali of Kolkata and my base shifted there from Patna. At present or to be specific for the last thirteen years I am in Delhi due to my husband's posting. I do enjoy Durga Puja here and within the pandal it is similar to the pujas of Bengal. The same was the case in Patna. Now, I miss the rest of the family, friends and that special feeling of the festival available at every corner of Bengal. I once attended Durga Puja in Mumbai and you know, once you step inside the pandal, the fervour is same. Though I don't love pandal hopping, I enjoy sitting and chatting with dear ones at any pandal. In Bengal there is a lot of variety in idols, pandals and lighting which are the x-factors of Durga Puja. Loved to know about you from your post. I too very particularly attend Ashtami puja in the morning and offer pushpanjali to Maa Durga. May the Goddess shower her blessings on you and your loved ones!

Happy Navratri and Durga Puja to everyone. I am in Kolkata and it is a beautiful time to be here. Pandals are almost ready and streets abuzz with enthusiasm,  there's this amazing feel of festivities in the air !

Once long back we were passing through Dibrugarh  Railway station during the durga pooja season on our way to Jamshedpur. Even there one could sense the festive feeling...I am sure Calcutta would be a truly great experience during the Pooja season !

Durga Pooja is the biggest festive event for a  Bengali. Many of my Bengali friends leave for Kolkata applying mass leave. Though leaving the Headquarters all at a time is not allowed in a steel making firm, Bengalis are given that privilege because of the importance of the festival  given by Bengalis.