Adivasi festival : water shortage at Nagoba

The shortage of the drinking water hit the devotees at inter- state Nagoba jatara before its commencement at Keslarpur in Indravelli mandal in the district. 

The Jatara will begin with the special puja by the Mesram clan Adivasis to the serpentine god Nagoba late night on February 7 and Jatara continue up to Feb 11. 

Mesram clan Adivasi devotees who already reached the temple from various parts of the district and other districts in the state and also bordering Maharashtra, Chattisgarh are facing a drinking water problem at the temple.

As many 1,200 Adivasis along with their 220 bullock carts reached the temple premises till Saturday evening and number may rise to 500 bullock carts by Sunday evening.

Only one drinking water tank was constructed near the banyan trees where the Mesram clan and other Adivasis staying for the last three-days. The borewell motor was damaged on Saturday forcing the Adivasis to travel long distances to collect drinking water for cocking and other purposes.

Large numbers of Adivasi women were seen in queue waiting for their turn to collector water from another borewell in the ground opposite to the place where they were staying and also at the water tank. Two purified water plants were set up but water supply connections had not been given to the plant.

Mesram Tukaram of Chanduri village Utnoor who came with his family said, Neelladi Baga Gosa Unnadi Saru and Adollu Neellu Mosthunnaru (there is drinking water problem) and added that water problem became severe with the electric motor damaged.

Women and children were seen going with small buckets of water to temporary toilets as there was no water supply and some of the girls going for open defecation due to lack of water at the temporary toilets. On the other hand, curing the road in front of the temple with water has just begun.

The members of the Nagoba temple committee expressed displeasure over poor quality of a piece of CC road laid to Govvad and complained  that they were injured when they were walking on the road as the concrete was uneven with no proper finishing.

Temple committee members drew the marks reserving the place for bullock carts parking and to maintain discipline near Govvad. 

Temple chairman Mesram Tukaram said, ‘they were expecting more crowds this time and the number of Mesran clan families which will perform Thoomu (Karma Kandalu) to their ancestors and family members increased to 78 from 75 last year and number of families for ‘Bhetting’( introduction) increased too.

Adivasis' personal invitation for Nagoba Jatara

Adivasis even today practice traditional customs by extending personal invitation to their clan in the villages in Indravelli and Ichoda mandals for Nagoba Jatara will begin on February 7.

They also gave order to pot maker family for traditional pots to be used in puja to serpentine god Nagoba. 

Mesram clan Adivasis started their journey in a ‘Chekda’ (look like bullock cart) from the temple after performing pujas to het Nagoba by dropping tobacco as mark of tradition on January 12 and returned to temple after covering nearly 100 km on January 19.

As part of their personal invitation, priest of Mesram clan of Adivasis Mesram Hanumanthrao and Pardhanji Mesram Ganapathi visited Sirikonda village in Ichoda and gave order to their ancestral pot maker family for traditional pots and later visited Sunkidi and Dhaba villages.

They also visited Sathmori, Rajampet, Soyamguda, Ginnera and Vadagoan villages in Indravelli and reached Nagoba temple.

On January 20, nearly 100 Adivasis of Mesram clan started their second journey on foot to bring Gangajal from river Godavari near Hastinamadugu in Jannaram mandal to be used in cleaning the idol of the Nagoba. They will return and stay under Baniyan trees near Nagoba temple in Keslapur village in Indravelli mandal on February 3. 

Nagoba temple committee chairman Mesram Thukaram said they have been following the custom of traditional invitation to the people of their clan for Nagoba jatara from time immemorial and added that many traditions and customs were attached to Nagoba temple and Mesram clan of Adivasis. 

The Mesram clan Adivasis will enter the Nagoba temple only February7 evening and perform special puja to serpentine god Nagoba on that night.  

Nagoba Jatara begins in Adilabad

Keslapur jatara from Jan19