This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Anuhya Bobba.

When I turned on the TV in my home state in India one morning last week, every news channel showed the same visual: a timer ticking down to 4 p.m.

At that hour, leaders of India’s Congress Party would decide whether to keep the state united or allow the Telangana region to split off. And in that moment, my trip back home lost any sense of normalcy.

For years, the Telangana separationist movement, which sought to split Andhra Pradesh into a two-state area, had gained little traction. But when 4 p.m. struck, the Congress Party announced it would allow Telangana to become its own state.

The public reaction was severe: Supporters of a united Andhra called for a 72-hour bandh, or protest, which closed all shops, schools and even the bus system in areas of the state. Protesters took to the streets yelling “jai samaikya Andhra” or “victory to a united Andhra.”

Within days, a dozen top officials tendered their resignation.

Telangana shares cultural and linguistic traditions with neighboring regions Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, but diverges politically — it was once part of the independent Hyderabad state during British colonial rule over India.

The unrest with Telangana is not confined simply to Andhra’s borders. The movement’s success has galvanized separationist movements across India, with protests mounting in Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

The state official formation process in the coming months will likely stir upheaval and protest all around Andhra.

As the battle plays out, I will keep watching for progress or tumult from the region I call home.