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Chicago IL: TAGC Telugu Association of Greater Chicago celebrated Bathukamma, Jammi Pooja and Dusshera celebrations with more than 800-plus guests on Oct 2nd 2022 at SVS Balaji Temple Aurora, IL.

Under the TAGC leadership, Bathukamma team took the initiative to make this event a grand success with uniqueness, all along maintaining the traditions. The team decided to purchase Chanderi pattu sarees to celebrate the festival with more enthusiasm. About 200 women wore matching sarees and brought color and uniqueness to set a record among all other Bathukamma celebrations across the world. This initiative was done to support impoverished weavers in South India and help them financially.

Venue was decorated with colorful flowers with help of florist Amritha. TAGC President and Board offered saree, flowers, pasupu & kumkum to goddess Parvathi at the temple after the event.

TAGC President Uma Avadhuta welcomed all the guests with a brief introduction about the significance of the festival. Uma Avadhuta, Bathukamma chair Vinitha Podduturi along with co chairs Pooja, Madhavi and Pranaya started the event with diya lighting. Delicious vegetarian lunch coordinated by Food Chairs Srinivas Adepu and Ramakanth Jonnala with a wide variety was offered to women and all guests. Event started with a prayer song and continued with playing Bathukamma until 5:30 PM. Well renowned folk singer Niharika came to sing songs and encourage the women to do it with proper steps. Women played Bathukamma with energy and passion till the end of the event. One of the highlighted programs is a special Kolatam by 60+ ladies in a coordinated fashion. Along with adults teenagers kolatam was highlight of the program. Kids participation and involvement in making Bathukamma were appreciated by the audience. At the end of the event, all the Bathukamma's were taken as a procession and were immersed in a pond close by with the help of TAGC men board members and volunteers. TAGC president Uma Avadhuta along with members, sponsors and ATS Leadership team presented the gifts to Bathukamma competition winners and Raffle winners. Return gift ammavari idol to all ladies who attended the event was appreciated by everyone.

TAGC raised funds to support WEWA for supporting education to economically backward students in India. More than 400 participants had donated funds and participated in this good cause.

After Bathukamma immersion, all the families participated in Shammi/Jammi puja conducted by Balaji temple priest on the occasion of Dusshera.

President appreciated the whole Bathukamma team, BOD's and long-time volunteers for their contribution in making the celebration a grand success and emphasized the importance of these festival celebrations for preserving the culture for younger generations and also thanked American Telangana Society team, SVS Balaji temple management Ramesh garu, Sponsors for the event and Media partners. Vinitha thanked sponsor Manjula jewelers for raffle sponsorship.

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TAGC celebrates Bathukamma, Jammi Pooja and Dusshera