KESLAPUR (Adilabad): A huge rush of devotees is witnessed for darshan of the Nagoba deity this year – after a lull during the Covid-infected years when a fear of the pandemic kept Adivasis and other devotees away from the annual event.
A large number of devotees, including adivasis, came this time to the Nagoba temple at Keslapur in Indravelli mandal. Politicians were also visiting the temple with more ‘fervour’ this time as the election season was setting in.
A ritual of making anthills was held in the morning, in which the adivasi Mesram clan women participated with religious fervor and gaiety. The traditional Nagoba Jatara began on Sunday. Thousand of youths and students along with their families thronged the Nagoba temple and enjoyed the Jatara.
Union minister Arjun Munda and BJP state president Bandi Sanjay visited the temple and offered special puja. MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha and ministers KT Rama Rao and Satyawati Rathod would attend the traditional Darbhar at the temple scheduled for Jan 24, it is rumoured.
TPCC president Revanth Reddy was also expected to visit the temple.
The annual religious event is seen as a platform for political parties to campaign in support of their government policies, welfare and development schemes etc and edge closer to the Adivasis in the election year.
A large number of Mesram clan Adivasis, as also other Adivsasi sects, thronged the Nagoba temple to participate in their traditional rituals and have darshan of the serpentine god Nagoba. Mesram clan men and women attended the Mahapuja at midnight on Saturday. Family members introduced their daughters-in-law to the community elders and had Nagoba darshan as part of ‘Bhetting’.
MLAs Atram Sakku, Koneru Konappa, Rekha Naik, ZP chairman Rathod Janardhan, MLC Dande Vittal, Adilabad MP Soyam Bapurao, collector Sikta Patnaik, ITDA project officer Varun Reddy, assistant collector Chahat Bajpai and Adilabad SP Uday Reddy had darshan of Nagoba. Community leaders Venkatrao Patel and temple chairman Mesram Thukaram were present.
