With the onset of the poos or Pushya masam, the sacred period, the Adivasi Gonds in Adilabad have begun preparations for festivities. The period up to January 20 will see jataras of respective clans organised across the district. The most famous of them is the Nagoba jatara at Keslapur in Indervelli mandal.

The Nagoba jatara is organised by the Mesram clan of Gonds at the end of the religious month. The tribal people stick to age old customs and traditions while organising the festivities.

As part of the preparations, the Adivasi people have started collecting foodgrains needed to prepare the sacred offering or naivedyam. The exercise includes grinding on traditional grindstones only the indigenous variety of foodgrains raised in their own fields. The oil used in cooking the offerings is also obtained from indigenous oilseeds ground in traditional mills.

The Mesram clan messengers, a Gond priest called Kathoda and a Pardhan elder called Pathadi, have set off to inform and invite the clan members and others associated with religious festivities during the Nagoba jatara. The jatara will begin on January 19.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by Special Correspondent / Adilabad – December 26th, 2014