Make Bonalu, Bathukamma Holidays: TITA To IT Cos

Welcoming the decision of the Telangana government to declare Bonalu and Bathukamma as State Festivals, the Telangana Information Technology Association (TITA) on Tuesday demanded that all the IT companies revise their Holiday List of 2014 by adding these two festivals.

The Bathukamma festival is one of the most auspicious and unique festivals of Telangana, celebrated mainly by the women. Celebrated during the Navaratris (September-October), it honours Goddess Gouri in the name of Bathukamma. Bathukamma means "Come alive Mother Goddess". The spring festival is the second largest festival after Dasara or Vijayadasami in the Telangana region.

Bonalu, a vibrant and unique folk festival, is celebrated in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other parts of the region during the month of Ashada (July-August) on Sunday, followed by the Rangam program on Monday.

The TITA demanded that holidays be declared on the Bathukamma festival day, and also on the next day of Bonalu (a Monday), as people also hold Rangam (forecasting the future), and organize processions and cultural events on that day.

TITA President Sundeep Kumar Makthala said that TITA had also notified the same to IT Minister K Tarakarama Rao to ensure that the IT companies in Telangana added the two festivals to their 2014 list of holidays.

"Telangana language, literature, history and culture are being subjected to massive discrimination and degradation. United AP governments deliberately neglected the Telangana festivals and did not incorporate the history of Telangana and its culture in the textbook syllabii. TITA has requested the ministry of education to include these festivals in the textbooks," said Sundeep Makthala. (INN)