All Set for Nagoba Jatara From Midnight

Adilabad: Preparations are in full swing for the annual Nagoba Jatara at Keslapur village in Indravelli mandal, which will start with the Maha puja at midnight on January 28. The traditional Darbar, a major event of the festival, is scheduled for January 31.

Members of the Mesram clan will perform the Abhishekam ritual to the Nagoba deity (serpentine god) during the Maha Puja, using sacred Gangajal brought from the Godavari River. The Jatara, celebrated from January 28 to February 4, is the second-largest Adivasi festival in the state after Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, attracting thousands of devotees.

District authorities, anticipating a rush of devotees, are enforcing strict safety protocols to prevent stampedes. Collector Rajarshi Shah has directed the food safety committee to closely monitor the quality of food sold at shops and eateries.

To ensure hassle-free darshan for devotees, the collector and ITDA project officer Kushbhoo Gupta have formed committees to oversee various arrangements, including security, crowd management, and sanitation. Officials have inspected the temple premises to review preparations ahead of the event.

Special buses will operate from the Adilabad bus depot to Keslapur, and all buses passing through Indravelli will provide access to the village. Security will also be heightened for the arrival of MLAs, MPs, and ministers attending the Darbar on January 31.

Minister for Rural Development Danasari Seethakka is expected to attend the Maha puja at Nagoba temple on the night of January 28. She will also perform a special puja at the Lakshmi Narayana Swamy temple in Jainad earlier that day.

Leaders of the Mesram clan, along with Nagoba temple Peetadhipathi Venkat Rao, recently met Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to invite him to the Darbar and temple.