ANJI (ADILABAD): A large number of newly-married Andh Adivasi women gathered to celebrate ‘Shiral’ during which they prayed to Lord Shiva and Lord Nagoba to bless them with children at Anji village in Indravelli mandal on Tuesday.
Their husbands too accompanied them. Shiral festival is celebrated on the very next day of Nagapanchami. The festival was celebrated in a grand manner officially with the state government sanctioning Rs 1.5 lakh for the programme.
Even childless couples took part in ‘Shiral’ and perform special puja to Lord Nagoba by making a temple-like structure and some idols in it, all made of mud.
Men carried the temple-like structure on their head to the place where the women gathered and offered prayers to the snake god. They sang traditional songs in praise of Lord Shiva and Lord ‘Vittoba’. Young girls rode on swings near the place of worship. Boys too made merry.
Pote Shoba Bai, MPP of Indravelli, belonging to Andh Samaj, said Shiral is a festival of Lord Shiva and the serpentine god, celebrated by married and newly-married women. She said the Andh community strongly believes that Lord Shiva blesses couples with children when they worship him and seek his blessings.
District collector Divya Devarajan, who attended the programme, said tribals recognise the services of any person, including the officials, if they really help them and work for their welfare and empowerment. She shared her personal experiences.
ITDA project officer Krishna Aditya said celebrating cultural events is good but the community elders should focus on getting their wards educated. He appealed to the community elders to send their children to school without fail.
Khanapur MLA Rekha Naik and Adilabad ZP chairman Rathod Janardhan also participated in the event.
