Watch: Mesrams embark on 160-km trek to fetch holy water from Godavari

Members of the Raj Gond community collect water in a traditional 'Jhari' to be used for rituals during the five-day Nagoba Jatara slated for January 28

Adilabad: The Mesrams embarked on a padayatra for fetching holy water from the Godavari river, at Keslapur village in Indervelli mandal on Friday as part of Nagoba Jatara, a five-day annual religious and cultural affair of the clan slated for January 28.

Members of this Raj Gond community congregated at Nagoba temple in Keslapur village and performed certain traditional rituals before setting off on the journey.

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They will gather sacred water in a historical container called ‘Jhari’ at a spot called Hasthanamadugu near Kalamadugu village in Jannaram mandal of Mancherial district on January 17 and return to Indervelli on January 23.
Led by Katoda (priest) Dev Rao and Pradhan (minister) Dade Rao, around 200 members from different parts of the district commenced their arduous 160-km trek winding through Pittabongaram, Vadagaon, Salewada, Kotthaguda, Udumpur, Mallapur, Kalamadugu and many other tribal villages.

They will stay intermittently on the outskirts of villages in tents during the trek. The participants do not wear footwear, while strictly shunning habits such as the consumption of liquor during the sacred walkathon. They collect the holy water in a 1,400-year-old brass container, carried by the priest, which they use for performing various rituals at the time of worshipping Nagoba.

Later, the Mesrams assemble under sacred banyan trees near the shrine and stay there for four days as a customary tradition. They reach the temple of Nagoba and perform prayers in the night. Women fetch water from an ancient holy pond and mix it with the ‘Ganga Jal’ to clean the temple’s sanctum sanctorum. The Mesrams revere the serpent god, while elders act as priests.

The Nagoba Jatara, celebrated in the month of Pushya, hosts Maha Puja, Bheting, the introduction of new daughters-in-law to the deity, village fair or Jatara at the holy place, Praja Darbar, a grievance redressal, Betal Puja, etc.

Half a dozen Raj Gond elders jump in the air after getting possessed by the Betal god. They exhibit their fighting prowess by rotating large sticks that represent the god.
Nagoba Jatara is the largest congregation of ethnic tribes belonging to several parts of not only Telangana but also Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.