Medicinal and Environmental Significance of the Telangana Festival “Bathukamma”: An Ethnobotanical and Biodiversity Perspective

Abstract

Bathukamma, the prominent floral festival of Telangana, represents a distinctive relationship between cultural heritage, seasonal floral diversity, traditional plant knowledge, and environmental awareness. The present study investigates the medicinal and environmental significance of plants and flowers associated with the nine-day Bathukamma tradition from an ethnobotanical and biodiversity perspective. A literature based descriptive assessment was undertaken using published ethnobotanical, botanical, pharmacological, environmental, and cultural sources. The study documented the traditional characteristics of the nine days of Bathukamma and examined major floral associations, including Senna auriculata, Celosia argentea, Tagetes spp., Chrysanthemum spp., Tabernaemontana spp., and Cucurbita spp. The reviewed literature indicates that several associated plants possess documented ethnomedicinal importance and reported pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic activities, although the strength of evidence varies among species. Bathukamma also provides a cultural context for recognizing seasonal flowering plants, maintaining traditional ecological knowledge, promoting awareness of floral diversity, and strengthening conservation values. The study highlights the potential of cultural festivals to support biodiversity education and sustainable plant use awareness. However, variations in flower selection, limited quantitative field data, and uneven pharmacological validation restrict broader generalization. Future research should integrate phytochemical, toxicological, molecular, biodiversity monitoring, and conservation studies to scientifically strengthen the understanding of Bathukamma associated plant resources.