The spirit of Navaratri permeates the entire city. On Sunday, practically all entities observed “Ayudapuja” day by holding puja for their vehicles, equipment, and plants.
People began to swarm temples in the early hours of Sunday. Temples were adorned with lights and flowers. At the Durga and Navaratri pandals, one could hear devotional chants and bhajans as the devotees were dressed traditionally.
The department of culture’s Batukamma celebrations at Tank Bund drew a resounding response, and everyone’s attention was drawn to a foreign participant who joined the dancers.
Eight women representing various foreign countries, dressed in their riding attire, set out on a nine-day motorcycle trip through rural Telangana to take in the colorful Navaratri and Bathukamma celebrations.
With the help of Jai Bharati’s MOWO and organized by the global women’s motorcycle community Free W, they traveled almost 1,800 km by riding through the cities of Mahbubnagar, Vikarabad, Nirmal, Warangal, and Pochampally. The all-female team, which included three female local motorcycle riders and members from the USA, Europe, Australia, Singapore, and Thailand, was met with friendly smiles and a hint of curiosity everywhere they went. They encountered native craftspeople while riding through Telangana’s more isolated stretches, where they learned about regional crafts like saree weaving and Dokra metal work.
