Keslapur Nagoba Yatra
Bhetting
This is a ceremony held during the annual Keslapur Jatra, when the new brides, who have been married to the grooms of the Mesram clan, but themselves come from a different exogamous clan, become full members of the Mesram clan, and are introduced to their clan deity and protector, Shri Shek Nagoba.
Clay ball pile at Nagoba temple
This mound of clay balls represents the termite mound in which ‘Shesh Nag’, the cobra clan emblem of their Mesram clan, lives. The water, ‘gangajal’, used to make clay balls of the ant hill, was brought from the Godavari River near Mancherial.
Government activities
This gathering of tribal people gives the government administration an opportunity to make contact with the people, listen to their petitions and for the Integrated Tribal Development Agency to advertise their future palns.
Mathura & Lambada: Banjara tribes attending
Although the Keslapur Jatra is a Raj Gond religious festival, it has become an important gathering for the many local tribal communities like the Marathi speaking Lambada (or Sugali) people and the Mathura tribals.
Mesram clan campsite
The Mesram clan set up a campsite in an ancient grove of banyan trees just south of the ‘Shri Shek Nagoba‘ temple. It is the traditional campsite for the Buigota branch of the Mesram clan.
Mesram clan panch meeting
All the leading elders of the Buigota Mesram clan gather for a council meeting to discuss the arrangements and ritual programme for this week long festival.
Nagoba Temple
The sacred and ritual heart of the Keslapur Yatra is the ‘Shri Shek Nagoba Mandir‘ temple. In 1976 this was a small concrete shrine. In 2019 it had been expanded into an elegant carved stone temple, architecturally modelled on a Hindu design.
Pardhan performing
The traditional minstrels, the ‘Pradhans’, ‘Patardiko‘, singing the epic mythical history of the creation of the Mesram clan. Although being a different tribal people, who speak a Marathi language, they have adopted the same clan system as their Raj Gond patrons.
Keslapur Yatra, Public campsite
This annual pilgrimage site, that is focussed on the origins and deity of the Buigota section of the Mesram clan, has become a gathering point for all the Raj Gond clans. They camp all over the site, enjoy the ritual performances, the ‘mela‘ fair’s attractions, and the ability to confront the government administrative services.
