“Dussehra is my favorite time of the year, celebrating vacation at my grandmother’s village! Today is the first day of Bathukamma festivities, and I’ve been excited since morning. My mom, grandma, and I picked lots of pretty flowers like Tangidi, Banthi, Chamanthi and Gunugu from our village surroundings to make the Bathukamma. I love how colorful it looks when we put it all together!

I’m wearing my new dress today, and my mom says I look beautiful. I helped arrange the flowers with my cousins, and my grandma made sure we did it perfectly. She always tells me that Bathukamma is special and brings happiness and good health to our family.

Today, after the puja, we will all gather and dance around the Bathukamma. I love how everyone in the neighborhood joins in, singing, dancing in circles and clapping. We don’t take the Bathukamma to the lake today—that happens on the last day. But for now, dancing together and celebrating with everyone is the best part of the festival.

I hope we keep celebrating Bathukamma every year. It’s a time for family and tradition, and it makes me feel happy to be part of it.”