The festive fervor of Bathukamma is being witnessed not only in Telangana but also abroad. Once, the festival was ridiculed, and celebrating it in public was considered a taboo. However, after the formation of Telangana state, Bathukamma became an annual festival not only for the people in the state but also among Telangana expatriates across the world, especially in the Gulf region.
MLC K Kavitha, daughter of Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, was instrumental in introducing Bathukamma festival in the Gulf region.
Bathukamma is being celebrated with great enthusiasm and excitement across the Gulf — from the Red Sea port city of Jeddah to the Arabian coastal city of Muscat — as a large number of people from Telangana have settled here. However, Kuwait has restricted people from celebrating any occasion to express solidarity with Palestine.
Bathukamma festivities are being organized on a grand scale in all major cities in the region. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is witnessing grand Bathukamma festivities with 10 different events being held across the country this year. A grand festival was held in Dubai by the Gulf Telangana Welfare and Cultural Association (GTWCA), the first Telangana NRI association in the Gulf region, at a local stadium on Saturday, where scores of families participated.
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