Actress and BJP leader Khushbu Sundar took part in the Bathukamma celebrations at the Bhagyalakshmi Temple near Charminar on Tuesday.

Khushbu, who serves as the Vice President of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, joined women leaders of the Telangana BJP in playing Bathukamma during the event.

The programme initially faced hurdles after Hyderabad Police denied permission citing law-and-order issues due to the sensitive nature of the Charminar area, which is surrounded by multiple places of worship. However, the Telangana High Court granted conditional approval following a petition filed by BJP leader Dr. B. Uma Shankar, Secretary of the BJP Telangana unit.

Justice N. V. Shravan Kumar permitted the celebrations under strict guidelines — limiting participation to 100 women with no criminal background, disallowing VIP presence, and restricting the duration to one and a half hours. The Court also directed participants to avoid political statements or songs that could offend other communities, emphasizing that organisers must ensure no disturbance to peace or public order.

The government pleader for Home had argued that such an event at the site could inconvenience tourists, disturb harmony, and attract miscreants. The petitioner, however, pointed out that a similar celebration had been permitted at the same venue in October 2024 under restrictions.

Meanwhile, Bathukamma, Telangana’s state festival, began on Sunday. Known as a vibrant celebration of nature, the nine-day festival sees women and girls come together to sing, dance, and worship beautifully arranged stacks of seasonal flowers. On the final day, Bathukammas are immersed in local water bodies.

Since the formation of Telangana in 2014, Bathukamma has been officially recognized and celebrated as the state festival, symbolizing the region’s rich culture and traditions.