Adivasi Mesram clan start 150 km padayatra for Gangajal
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2025-01-10 15:15 GMT
Adilabad: Members of the Adivasi Mesram clan set off on Friday evening from Keslapur in Indravelli mandal for a 150 km padayatra, passing Utnoor and Jainoor, to gather sacred Ganga Jal from the Godavari at Hasthinamadugu in Jannaram mandal. They plan to perform Mahapuja using this Gangajal at the Nagoba temple upon returning on January 28.
Hastinamadugu, revered as a sacred spot along the Godavari’s banks, has long served as the prime site where Mesram clan members collect Gangajal near Jannaram in Mancherial.
This year, they decided participants must wear only a traditional dhoti, shirt, kanduva, and a white turban, barring jeans or painted attire for the padayatra. This measure aims to uphold their cultural heritage during the entire arduous journey on foot.
According to Mesram Dadarao, the strict dress code is rigorously enforced for members walking the padayatra, safeguarding the very distinct traditions of the Adivasi community. He added that no member would carry a cellphone.
Mesram Koserao, a Katoda (traditional priest), noted additional cellphone restrictions during the padayatra. Only two group leaders may carry phones for urgent communication with families or emergencies. This, he explained, helps maintain spiritual focus and unity among participants, reflecting the Adivasis’ commitment to preserving their deep age-old customs.
They started the journey on foot after conducting a special puja for the Nagoba deity at Muradi, the ancestral shrine where their deities are safeguarded, located in holy Keslapur village.
This year, 130 Mesram clan members, elders and youth, are participating in the annual pilgrimage to the Godavari. They plan to reach Hasthinamadugu on January 17 and collect Gangajal in Kalashams (jars). That same day, they will begin their return leg, carrying the sacred water back for rituals at the Nagoba temple.
After returning, they will visit Indradevi temple in Indravelli on January 24, then proceed to banyan trees near the Keslapur temple later that evening. They will perform traditional pujas and rituals over four days before entering the Nagoba temple on January 28 evening, where they will conduct the Mahapuja at midnight with deep unwavering devotion.
Adivasis from bordering Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh also attend the Mahapuja. The Keslapur Jatara begins the following day. During their padayatra, clan members reside in villages en route to the Godavari, fostering close fellowship among local communities.