Nagoba Jatara: Thousands of tribals congregate at Keslapur in Telangana

Nearly one lakh indigenous tribals and non-tribals from various regions of Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha flocked to Keslapur from early morning until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday.

Adilabad: Thousands of tribals visited the Nagoba temple as part of the seven-day-long annual Nagoba jatara being celebrated at Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal on Thursday.

Nearly one lakh aboriginal tribals and non-tribals belonging to various parts of Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha made a beeline to Keslapur from early morning till midnight on Wednesday and Thursday. They thronged the temple and performed special prayers. presented naivedyam as a token of gratitude for the wellbeing of their families. The sleepy village has come alive with the presence of the devotees.

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They shopped for groceries and other home appliances at the Jatara. They indulged in fun games at the fair. They camped under the make-shift tents and dined along with their relatives and friends. They also visited stalls displayed by various government departments.

Security arrangements were made by deploying 600 policemen to prevent untoward incidents at the venue of the fair. Barricading was done to prevent stampedes. Parking lots were created on the outskirts of the village. Fire tenders were kept ready and the medical department’s staff was tasked to handle emergencies.

Meanwhile, 52 newly wedded women were inducted into the Mesram clan during the customary Bheting or introduction of the women conducted on Wednesday night. The unique programme was held in presence of elders of the clan. The women visited the deity of the temple and took blessings of the elders, attaining status of daughters-in-law.

Nagoba Jatara, which commenced on Tuesday night, is an important religious and cultural affair of the clan. The ritual is observed in the night of Amavasya (Dark moon lunar) in the month of Poos or Pushya. It is the largest religious gathering of ethnic tribes belonging to several parts of not only Telangana, but also Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh after biennial Sammakka-Saralamma jatara in Medaram of Mulugu district.