Bathukamma sets Guinness Record!

​Hyderabad: Braving heavy rain, over 10,000 women assembled at LB Stadium here on Saturday and made Maha Bathukamma enter into Guinness Book of World Records.

The extravagant event eclipsed previous world record set by Kerala where 5,211 women performed Kaikottikali dance on the eve of Onam on February 2, 2015. Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan praised the women for dedicating the world record event to the martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for Telangana statehood.

The event was flagged off by Guinness Book of World Records adjudicators R Jaya Simha and M Kumaran. The duo started the mega event by blowing whistle at 5.14 pm. They declared ‘Maha Bathukamma,’ a world record event at 5.26 pm, after a non-stop dance performance by 9,292 women.

The biggest event in India has been attended by 10,029 women, which included foreign nationals from 40 countries. Women clad in traditional attire performed dance around the 20 feet Bathukamma, which was placed in the centre of the stadium in 25 circles (total 36 circles).

Speaking to The Hans India, M Kumaran said the adjudicators had concluded that number of participants was 9,029 and same would be sent to the headquarters in London for official certification. He said drone cameras were used to capture the event.

Special stickers were supplied to the participants for the sake of counting and a list of official participants given by the corporators also thoroughly checked, he said.

He also said the officials at London office would also examine the Maha Bathukamma footage and use digital technology to count the number of the participants prior to register the event in the Guinness Book of World Records.

He said the Telangana State government is likely to receive the official world record award by the end of October. As of now, B Sridhar and B Karthik had issued the counting certification and announced that Maha Bathukamma had entered into Guinness Book of World Records.

Sharing her experience, T Tulasi, a 45-year-old said the rain was never a hurdle for her to celebrate the State festival. "Rain gods have blessed us with the downpour and with their blessings we have achieved this incredible feat.”

K Akshitha, a 30-year-old said this event was an example to exhibit to the world about the rich culture of Telangana State. "Telangana is the only State which celebrates the festival of flowers in a grand way. I thank State government for organising such a huge event and would dedicate the award to people of the State who have helped to realise the dream of Telangana,” she said.

Congratulating all the women for the making the event a grand success, the Mayor said that this now would be recorded into Guinness World Records. He said the festival of flowers would be a world-class event.

Terming it as the 'victory of women,' the Mayor thanked women, who had assembled in huge numbers braving heavy rain. Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy, Legislative Council Chairman T Swamy Goud, Olympic silver medalist P V Sindhu, Deputy Mayor Baba Fasiuddin Telangana State brand ambassador Sania Mirza, actress Poonam Kaur and others participated in the world record event.