Indravelli: After 20 years, bullock cart racing competitions are being revived at the Nagoba Jatara in Indravelli mandal. The Mesram clan Adivasis made a request to ITDA authorities to revive the ‘Shankarpat’ (bullock cart racing competitions) for which authorities agreed.
The Adivasis travelled in ‘Chakada’ and ‘Ranji’ (small bullock carts) for fast travel and reach their destinations early when compared to normal bullock carts.
It is learnt that the bullock cart racing may be conducted on January 30 on the day of ‘darbar’ in the open ground near Nagoba temple in Keslapur village in Indravelli mandal in Adilabad district. The Nagoba Jatara will begin on January 27 and continue till February6. A trial of bullock cart racing is also planned at Nagoba temple.
A decorated ‘Chakada’ type bullock carts will participate in the competition to be held in the open ground near Nagoba temple during the Jatara. The event would be big entertainment to the Adivasis gather during Nagoba jatara from bordering states Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Adivasis are preparing to participate in the racing competitions which are the highlight for the rural masses as they have an emotional attachment to their bullock carts and bullocks. The Adivasis see their bullock carts like their vehicle use for transportation even for long distances.
Mesram clan heads go to interior areas in Chakada (a small bullock cart) to inform their clan people about their Nagoba jatara and special puja to be performed on the first day and invite them to the event.
Adivasi leader Mesram Manohar said, authorities used to conduct ‘Shankarpat’ competitions and best animals during the Jatara but gradually these events disappeared from the scene due to modernity and even Adivasi have forgotten these events. He said we wanted to revive bullock cart competitions this time after a long gap. He said ‘Chakada’ and ‘Ranji’ are a type of bullock carts that go fast due to less weight and also only two people can travel in them.
Note ban hits book festival
The 28th Vijayawada Book Festival recorded a poor response from book lovers.
Navyandhra Pustaka Sambaralu, a 11-day book festival organised by the Vijayawada Book Festi-val Society (VBFS) in association with department of language and culture, government of AP and NTR Trust at Swaraj Maidan had concluded on Wednesday. AP director general of police N. Samba Siva Rao had participated in valedictory ceremony.
Around 365 publishers have made their publications available at this festival covering books of all genres. The NTR Trust had organised panel discussions on six prominent topics with expert keynote speakers.
Renowned economists and Rerserve Bank of India former governors Dr Duvvuri Subba Rao and Dr Y.V. Reddy had delivered thought-provoking speeches on demonetisation.
Despite huge publicity, the VBFS had failed to attract book lovers this time. The book festival noticed overall decline of 25 per cent in visitors and 30 per cent in sales.
President of the VBFS Bellapu Babji accepted that the book festival recorded poor response this year. e-Books and online versions are the major reasons for the poor response for book festival. Demonetisation is also a reason for poor response, says Mr Babji.
