In Hyderabad, Navratri wears many cultural colours. While some families seek the blessings of Kanaka Durga, others gather for Garba, prepare Durga Puja pandals or celebrate through age-old regional customs.
For Dr Kamala Anagani, her brother, Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, and sister Dr Manjula, Navratri evokes childhood memories, family reunions and devotion to the Goddess. Dr Kamala recalls Dussehra holidays filled with pandal visits, homemade delicacies and Garba lessons with Gujarati friends. Today, she enjoys attending friends’ Nava Devi pujas, Bathukamma celebrations and Bommala Koluvu displays with her daughter. The family’s Vijayadashami tradition remains special, with her mother bringing everyone together over chakrapongali and bobbattu.
FOUR GENERATIONS, ONE FESTIVAL
For Srimani Mathukumilli, Dasara is a time when a family scattered across different places comes together, reconnecting four generations under one roof.
Mornings begin with the aroma of jejammas’ garelu, payasam offered to Maa Durga before being enjoyed by the family. The first nine days are strictly vegetarian, while Vijayadashami brings the much-anticipated non-vegetarian feast.
New clothes, coordinated outfits in the Goddess’s colours and the excitement of unpacking toys for Bommala Koluvu add to the festivities.
For them, Navratri is as much about preserving rituals as it is about creating memories. Each day is associated with a form of the Goddess and a festive colour, turning devotion into a shared family celebration.
GARBA, FAITH AND FAMILY
For Kavita and Saloni Jain, the mother-daughter duo behind Navkar Navratri Utsav, Navratri is both a spiritual calling and a labour of love. Now in its ninth year, the celebration reflects their commitment to preserving Gujarati traditions and bringing communities together.
“Maa Ambe holds a very special place in our hearts because she is our Kulmata,” says Kavita, who describes the festival as an extension of the faith passed down through her family.
This year, the celebrations are tinged with emotion as she misses her father, whose encouragement helped sustain her journey. His memory, she says, continues to inspire her.
Beyond community boundaries
For Seema Boppana, Academic Director of Sri Chaitanya Schools, the spirit of Navratri also finds expression in the everyday lives of women. Shakti, she believes, embodies power, energy, courage and resilience.
“True Shakti lies in balancing the demands of running a company, nurturing a family and making time for myself, while prioritising emotional well-being. It takes strength to shoulder multiple responsibilities, but also wisdom to recognise when to pause and put oneself first,” she says.
For Nagini Ravi Singareddy, Director of Silpa Infratech, Maa Chandraghanta embodies courage. She represents women who choose peace without surrendering their power and protect their beliefs without losing compassion.
“She reminds us that a woman can be gentle in her heart, fearless in her spirit and unstoppable in her purpose. True Shakti is not just the power to fight battles, but the wisdom to know which battles are worth fighting,” she says.
Both perspectives bring Navratri’s message into contemporary life, reminding women that strength lies not only in shouldering responsibilities but also in setting boundaries, making choices and remaining true to themselves.
That is Hyderabad’s festive charm: traditions remain distinct, but the spirit of togetherness travels across homes, neighbourhoods and generations.
From Bathukamma and temple rituals to Garba and Durga Puja, each community brings its own customs, stories and significance to the festive season. Floral arrangements, traditional offerings, festive clothing and family gatherings become expressions of faith, identity and belonging. Yet Hyderabad’s celebrations often extend beyond community boundaries, with friends embracing one another’s traditions and younger generations discovering new cultural experiences.
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