Nagoba Jatara: Mesrams camp under banyan trees in Adilabad

Members of the Mesram clan have camped at Keslapur village ahead of the five-day Nagoba Jatara beginning January 18. Sacred rituals, including Mahapuja and Banpen Puja, will be performed as lakhs of tribals from across India gather to worship the serpent god.

Adilabad: Members of Mesram clan have been camping under banyan trees at Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal for three days as part of the five-day long annual Nagoba Jatara slated for January 18.

Around 100 Mesrams would ceremoniously perform Mahapuja and Satheek puja, to kick start the affair on Sunday night. They then worship Persapen or the great god and Banpen puja the next day. Bheting, introduction of new daughter-in-laws to the deity, Mandagajili puja and Betal Puja, Praja Darbara or grievance redressal programme etc are going to be held on January 22 as part of the fair.

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The Mesrams arrived at the trees carrying sacred water gangajal on January 14. They drew the water in a 1,400 year-old brass container Jhari from Godavari river at Hasthanamadugu near Kalamadugu in Jannaram mandal of Mancherial district on January 7. They covered a distance of 150 kilometres by walking barefoot through hilly areas and dense forests.

Nagoba Jatara is the second largest congregation of tribals after the biennial Sammakka Saralamma jatara at Medaram in Mulugu district. About 2 lakh aboriginal tribals from several parts of India, not only Telangana but also neighbouring Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha make a beeline to Keslapur and worship the serpent god.