ADILABAD: Celebrations for several tribal festivals have begun in different areas of Adilabad district.
In the month of January (pushyamasam), the Jangu Bhai jathara is held in Kerameri Mandal, Bairomdev in Bela Mandal, Kamdev in Narnoor Mandal and the most renowned of the lot, the Keslapur Nagoba jatara.
As part of customs, members of the community keep away from consuming liquor and visit temples to offer prayers without wearing any footwear.
Adivasis from Gond, Kolam, Thoti, and Pardhan communities, as well as those from neighbouring States such as Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, visit the district to offer prayers. Those who are unable to attend the celebrations in person celebrate in their own villages with their community.
One notable aspect of the Kamdev jatara is that women drink 2.5 kg of oil as part of the festival’s rituals. Adivasis believe that this ritual helps fulfil their dreams and brings about positive changes in their lives, which is why it is performed once every three years.
Members of the Mesram clan, after offering prayers in the Nagoba temple, walk to Hasanmadugu in Jannaram Mandal to retrieve holy water from the Godavari river. This water is then tied to a banyan tree before the start of the jatara, which begins on January 21.