Adilabad: Nagobha Jatara Gets Kick-Started On 11th February

Authorities permitted the Nagobha Mahajatra in Keshlapur, Adilabad. Authorities who had not previously permitted the fair in the wake of the corona allowed it at the request of the tribals. The Nagobha fair will start from the 11th of this month. Lord Nagobha is considered as the ancestral deity by 'Mesram' clan people. This temple is located in Keslapur, Indravelli Zone, Adilabad District. Every year during the month of 'Pushya Masam' people come from all over the country to offer prayers to the deity. The speciality of this Nagobha fair is the traditional worship of the serpent species.

The tribes believe that their idol Nagobha dances whole-heatedly on the 'Amavasya' day in 'Pushya Masam'. The tribesmen believe that their idol, Adiseshu, appears to the tribal priests at 12 in the midnight on this day. They also believe that he makes priests drink the milk, blesses him and then disappears. Hence they offer prayers and perform annual 'Mahabhishekam' with the holy Godavari water brought from Hastinamadugu. in. Thereafter the 'Nagobha Fair' gets begin…

As part of the Nagobha fair, the tribesmen, dressed in white, travel through the dense forest path without sandals and pay special homage to the mother of Godavari and perform Pooja to Goddess Indraveli at Indravelli on their return journey. From there, they reach the Nagobha temple complex in Keslapur and tie the holy water of the Godavari to a holy tree 'Marrichettu'. They all stay under the banyan tree for three days. They perform rituals for their ancestors and then perform 'Abhishekam' to the idol of Nagobha.

The history of Nagobha in Keslapur is told by the Gond tribes in various forms. The Gonds believe that Nagendra appeared to Nagaimoti Rani of the Mesram family in a dream and told her that she would be born in the form of a serpent and that the dream came true. The tribesmen believe that Nagendra appears on the new moon day of the month of 'Pushya Masam' every year.

The Gonds believe that Nagendra appeared to Rani Nagaimoti Rani of the Mesram family in a dream and told her that she would be born in the form of a serpent and that the dream came true. The mother of the Nagendra, who is the queen, married her son to the daughter of her younger brother. Nagendra's wife Gauri was on her way to the Godavari with her husband carrying him in a basket as per her mother-in-law's order. Thereafter Gauri went to bath in holy waters of Godavari at Dharmapuri, Nagendra saw her and transformed into a man, but he once again turned into a snake as she did not care about the traditions and gave importance to the prestige rather than tradition. Devotees believe that Gauri, who later searched for him from Udumpur to Garimela, immersed in Satyavasi Gundam in the Godavari and then the bull which was with her turned into a stone. After that, every married couple is told to introduce themselves in the presence of Nagendra (Pethikori Yak) and Nagendra is said to have disappeared in the Keslapur hills. Thus it turned into the same Keslapur village. The Nagobha Temple was built at the mound where Nagendra went. The tribesmen believe that Nagendra appears on the new moon day of the month of Pushya Masam every year. The Mesrams follow the traditions by offering prayers and also perform Mahebhishekam. 22 stoves are set up for offerings and dishes which are to be served to God. The pots are taken only from a house in the Sirikonda Mandal to bring water to the god Nagobha.

Thus, Mesrams prefer to share bonds and love with each other till date. Part of this tradition, they introduce their daughter-in-law's after the starting of the fair. This is called 'Beting Kia' tradition. Reconstruction work of the Nagobha Temple has gained momentum as the fair approaches. The temple was supposed to be completed three years ago. Efforts are being made to complete the temple premises along with the Sanctorum before the start of the fair.

The five-day fair attracts thousands of devotees from our state as well as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. Earlier it was announced that the Nagobha Fair was being cancelled in the wake of the corona. Only Maha Pujas are allowed. But now, authorities allowed the Nagobha fair to take place with the request of the tribals.