While all rituals and ceremonies pertaining to the preparation of the Nagoba jatara involved men so far, the women gain prominence and participate actively from the day of the mahapuja. Traditionally, most alliances of Raj Gond bachelors are fixed during post-harvest Dandari-Ghusadi festival, and the nuptials take place between March and May. For the Mesram Raj Gonds and Pardhans, the gamut of weddings is complete only after the bheting ritual, which is held on the first day of the jatara and entails introduction of brides to the serpent god and thereby into the clan. This ritual is most significant part of the Keslapur-Nagoba jatara.
On the day of mahapuja, the pots that were made specifically for the festival, are consecrated soon after the arrival of the priests and others to the temple in the morning. The Patels line up beside the pots while Mesram Tirupathi, the kotwal, calls the names of women to whom the pots would be handed over.
The women who come in pairs are daughters of Mesram families but have been married into other clans. They are handed over a pot which is meant for fetching water from a well near Bhourmachua (banyan tree).
After the distribution of the pots, the head Pardhan Mesram Tukdoji takes a seat and begins to tune his 200 year old bow-string instrument called kingri for another recital of Nagoba Bhidi in the temple premises. The Pardhans or bards are said to have preserved the myths and stories of Gonds in the oral tradition over centuries. Tukdoji has been singing the Nagoba katha for over 50 years, and has taken a family member under his wing to train him and eventually pass on the baton.
Once again, strains of pipri and dhol begin to waft in the air, as women carrying the earthen pots on head begin to line up. Everybody steps aside to make way for them and they begin walking at a uniform pace, the pots balanced on their head, leaving behind a trail of the afternoon shadows that follow rhythmically.
After filling the pots with water at the well, the women return to the temple in a similar fashion. The water in these holy pots is used by women in the ritual of creating small mounds of clay also called boula (anthills). On a nostalgic note, Mesram Manohar reminisces, “Prior to early 1980s, all the rituals were performed at the boula. After the temple was constructed and a brass deity of Nagoba was installed, the prayers are offered only at the sanctum.”
At twilight all occupants under the banyan tree pack up and move with their belongings and bullock carts to set up camps around the temple. A circular open air structure called govad is made specifically for women and the “bheti koriad” – the daughters-in-law who wait to be introduced.
Inside the govad, at around 2:00 am women huddle in small groups huddle around bonfires, to keep warm while the light from the torcher-bearers casts a soft glow on the bheti koriad. The girls get busy donning on their white sarees to participate in the bheting ceremony. Two young girls who will soon lead the procession to the temple, are seated – one a daughter-in-law of priest while the other is new bride in a Patel’s family, wait as the koriad gets ready.
Mesram Jayanthi, a mother-in-law camped at the govad explains the bheting ritual, “We make our brides wear white clothes, take them to the Sathi temple, and pray for their prosperity and progeny. With their heads covered, the koriad are taken in a procession to the temple led by musicians. They take the blessings of Sathi Devi before being formally introduced to our clan God Nagoba.”
“If a family member has passed away recently or the bride is unwell, she cannot participate in the ritual and will have to wait for another year to be ceremoniously introduced into the clan and become eligible to offer prayers at the Nagoba temple. This is why the bheti koriad ensure that they make it to the ritual at any cost.”
Barring the banyan tree and the temple compound, the surrounding environs wear the look of a carnival; filled with tea shacks, make-shift restaurants, amusement arena with giant wheels and many vendors selling household articles and appliances. Most hawkers hope to attract business from newly-weds setting up a new home. Mesram Manohar was quick to point out, “All these facilities and conveniences are a much later addition, but the rituals remain the same and have retained their traditional zeal.”
At night, the Nagoba Jatara provides a stage to many rural folk theatre troupes who perform Gondi Ramayan and Mahabharat, so named as the shows are performed in Gondi dialect. These performances are a major draw and have the audiences riveted till the early hours next morning.
During the Nizam’s rule, eminent anthropologist Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf had conducted ethnographic studies on the tribes of Adilabad. In the year 1944 he had introduced the phenomenon of Darbar on the third day of the Jatara wherein the aboriginals could voice their grievances and concerns to the representatives of the government. Till date, it is an event the Adivasis look forward to and take an active participation. This year, despite a cloud of uncertainty looming over the Darbar on January 19 in wake of the recent Adivasi-Lambada conflict, the event was peaceful.
The general mood of the final day is that of gratitude and thanksgiving. First, the Mesrams assemble near the temple and distribute the prasad and sacred pots among the 22 families who had different roles to play in the festival,
To bid adieu to Nagoba, the Raj Gonds and Pardhans face the temple and offer tobacco and beedies while paying obeisance. It is an expression of thankfulness to the serpent-god and seek blessings for the year ahead. Among the aboriginal people, the custom of offering tobacco or beedi indicates respect.
The entire group moves towards the govad where the wives of Keslapur Patel and chief katoda wash their feet as a measure of thanksgiving and paying respect. Soon after, men stand in line and members of the 22 families personally greet and hug each and every member. The women too, join in and express their gratitude to everyone. A great sense of camaraderie prevails as everyone wishes well and appreciates the others’ efforts in making this festival a great success.
In the final ritual of Betal puja, a few Adivasi elders have a chance at displaying their skill in wielding the sword. With a thin bamboo stick in one hand, the elder takes as big a leap in air as possible and moves the stick as if it were a sword. This feat which has the entire audience in awe, is said to denote that the Raj Gonds were also warriors. After the Betal puja, the entire gathering forms a circle to sign off the year’s Nagoba festivities with a dhimsa dance routine.
In addition to being a vibrant religious and cultural rural fair, the Keslapur Nagoba Jatara provides insights into the social customs and traditions of the Mesram Raj Gonds and Pardhans. Clad in spotless white, standing or walking in a straight line, they have unflinchingly continued along the paths taken by their ancestors, with great earnest.
This article was initially published on firstpost on Feb 4, 2018
Travelogues 