The Kamdev Jatara is known for a distinctive sesame-oil ritual performed by a paternal sister of the Thodasam clan. The Kamdev (Khamdev) temple at Narnoor is associated with the Thodasam clan of the Gond community. The annual festival is held around Pushya Purnima, and the best-known ritual involves a paternal sister of the clan consuming a large quantity of traditionally prepared sesame oil.
Contemporary reports describe the ritual as being undertaken for three consecutive years. Community explanations associate the practice with the welfare of family members, agricultural prosperity, purity and the continuation of an ancestral tradition. These explanations represent the religious beliefs and traditions of the community rather than independently verifiable historical or medical conclusions.
Earlier accounts state that the present tradition dates to 1961 and that at least 20 paternal sisters had completed the three-year ritual. These figures are best presented as reported community/source accounts rather than as an independently established official historical count.
Lord Khamdev – Deity of the Thodasam Clan
Khamdev (also spelled Kamdev) is revered by the Thodasam clan as an important clan or personal deity. The deity should not be confused with the classical Hindu deity Kamadeva, the god associated with love.
Community accounts associate Khamdev worship with the welfare of the clan, family members and agricultural prosperity. The annual jatara provides an important occasion for the Thodasam community to gather at the shrine and continue its traditional religious practices.
Descriptions of the deity's significance, ritual symbolism and traditional beliefs vary according to community accounts. Such religious explanations are therefore presented here as traditional beliefs rather than independently verified historical facts.
The Sesame-Oil Ritual – A Three-Year Tradition
What is the ritual? A paternal sister of the Thodasam clan traditionally undertakes a distinctive ritual involving the consumption of a large quantity of sesame oil. Recent reporting from the festival describes approximately 2 kilograms of cold-pressed sesame oil being consumed during the ritual.
Earlier reports describe the participating woman undertaking the ritual on three consecutive annual occasions. After completion of the three-year cycle, another paternal sister may undertake the ritual in a subsequent cycle.
The ritual is traditionally explained by community elders as a demonstration of purity and devotion, while also being associated with the well-being of brothers and prosperity for farmers. These are community explanations of the ritual's religious significance.
A 2025 report from Telangana Today documented a Thodasam woman consuming approximately two kilograms of cold-pressed sesame oil during the Khamdev Jatara. The report also states that she had performed the ritual on two previous occasions, illustrating the reported three-year cycle.
Historical Continuity of the Tradition
Earlier accounts of the Kamdev Jatara state that the present form of the Thodasam sesame-oil tradition dates to 1961. Those accounts also reported that approximately 20 paternal sisters had successfully completed the three-year ritual.
The 1961 Census of India records for Adilabad provide useful historical context for the region's tribal fairs and festivals. The Census archive preserves a District Census Handbook, Adilabad – Census 1961, documenting the social and cultural setting of the district during that period.
The 1961 date used in this article therefore refers specifically to the community/source account of the present tradition; it should not be interpreted as proof that Khamdev worship itself originated in 1961.
The Khamdev Jatara – Festival Period and Customs
Festival period: Recent reporting describes the Khamdev Jatara as a five-day fair, with members of the Thodasam community gathering at the shrine and camping in temporary tents during the festival.
Older descriptions of the festival have used different ways of describing its duration. Because available reports are not completely consistent about whether they are counting the principal religious period or the wider fair period, this article does not claim that the festival was permanently reduced from 15 days to five days in 2017.
The most important ritual is associated with Pushya Purnima, when the traditional sesame-oil observance takes place.
Participants gather for prayers and traditional observances at the Khamdev shrine. The festival also provides an opportunity for members of the wider community to meet relatives and maintain cultural and religious traditions.
Reports describe abstaining from liquor and visiting the shrine without footwear as customary observances associated with the festival and its religious setting.
Who Attends – Tribal Communities and Regional Visitors
The Kamdev Jatara is particularly associated with the Thodasam clan, but the wider festival attracts visitors from different Adivasi communities and neighbouring regions.
- Gond / Raj Gond – the community with which the Thodasam clan is associated.
- Kolam – an important tribal community of the northern Telangana region.
- Thoti – a tribal community historically associated with the Gond cultural region.
- Pardhan – a traditional tribal community associated with Gond cultural and genealogical traditions.
Reports also describe visitors from neighbouring states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, in addition to participants from Telangana and the surrounding region.
Sesame-oil tradition
The distinctive ritual involves a paternal sister of the Thodasam clan consuming traditionally prepared sesame oil during the annual festival. Recent reports describe approximately two kilograms of cold-pressed oil being consumed during the ritual.
Three-year cycle
Earlier reports describe the participant undertaking the ritual for three consecutive years. After completing the cycle, another paternal sister may undertake the tradition in a later cycle.
Barefoot observance
Visiting the shrine without footwear is described in reporting as one of the customary observances associated with the religious gathering. Visitors should follow instructions from the local community and temple organizers.
Liquor abstinence
Reports describe members of the community abstaining from liquor during the religious observances. Visitors should respect the community's customary restrictions while attending the festival.
Community Gathering and Cultural Significance
The Khamdev Jatara is both a religious observance and an important gathering for the Thodasam community. Members travel from different parts of the region and from neighbouring states to participate in the festival.
Recent reporting describes participants travelling to Narnoor and staying in temporary camps during the five-day festival period. The gathering provides an opportunity for community members to maintain family and cultural connections while continuing the traditional worship of Khamdev.
The festival should therefore be understood primarily as a living tribal religious tradition, rather than simply as a tourist event.
Witness the Festival – Traveler's Guide
When to go
The festival is associated with Pushya Purnima, generally falling in the January period of the Gregorian calendar. The exact Gregorian date changes each year because it follows the Hindu lunar calendar.
Visitors should confirm the year's dates locally before travelling, particularly because the duration and scheduling of individual activities may vary.
How to reach
By road: Narnoor is connected by road with Utnoor, Indervelly and other towns in northern Telangana. During the Jatara, additional local travel arrangements may operate depending on demand.
By rail: Adilabad is a practical railhead for visitors approaching the Narnoor region, followed by road travel to Narnoor. Check current train schedules and local transport connections before travelling.
By air: Hyderabad is a major airport option for long-distance travellers, followed by road or rail travel toward northern Telangana.
Where to stay
Accommodation during the Jatara may be basic and can become limited because of the large number of visitors. Travellers should arrange accommodation in advance where possible.
Adilabad and Utnoor provide additional accommodation options compared with Narnoor itself, although daily travel times should be checked before making arrangements.
What to expect
Expect a busy tribal religious gathering, temporary camps, traditional worship, community activity and large numbers of visitors. Facilities may be more basic than those available at established urban tourist destinations.
Photography & conduct
Ask permission before photographing individual participants, particularly during the sesame-oil ritual. Follow instructions from clan members and local organizers, do not interfere with ritual proceedings, and respect restrictions on footwear, alcohol and access to sacred areas.
Explore the Adilabad Region – Tribal & Nature Circuit
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kamdev or Khamdev Jatara?
It is an annual religious gathering at the Khamdev shrine in Narnoor,
Adilabad district, associated particularly with the Thodasam clan of
the Gond community.
When is the Jatara held?
It is associated with Pushya Purnima. The corresponding
Gregorian date changes from year to year because the festival follows
the Hindu lunar calendar.
What is the sesame-oil ritual?
A paternal sister of the Thodasam clan traditionally consumes a large
quantity of sesame oil as part of the religious observance. Recent
reporting has documented approximately two kilograms of cold-pressed
sesame oil being consumed.
Why is the ritual performed for three years?
Community accounts describe the participating paternal sister undertaking
the ritual on three consecutive annual occasions. The three-year cycle
is part of the traditional observance.
Is the ritual associated with the welfare of the community?
Yes. Community elders have explained the ritual in terms of purity,
the welfare of brothers and prosperity for farmers. These are
traditional religious explanations rather than independently
verifiable outcomes.
How old is the present tradition?
Earlier accounts state that the present tradition dates to
1961. This should be understood as a reported
community/source account rather than proof that Khamdev worship
itself originated in that year.
How many women have completed the ritual?
Earlier reporting stated that approximately 20 paternal sisters
had completed the three-year tradition. This is not presented as a
current official total.
Can visitors attend the Jatara?
The festival attracts visitors from the region and neighbouring states.
Visitors should respect instructions from the Thodasam community,
temple organizers and local authorities, particularly around sacred
rituals and photography.
Is the Jatara five days long?
Recent reporting describes a five-day Khamdev Jatara fair
during which participants camp at the shrine. Older accounts use
different descriptions of the festival duration, so this article does
not claim that the festival was permanently shortened from 15 days
to five days in 2017.
References & More Information
- Telangana Today – Khamdev Jatara: Tribal woman gulps 2 kgs of sesame oil in Adilabad
- Telangana Today – Telangana tribal woman drinks two kgs of sesame oil to prove her purity
- Census of India – District Census Handbook, Adilabad, Census 1961
- Telangana Tourism – Adilabad
- Government of Telangana – Adilabad District
- Telangana360 – Earlier Kamdev (Khamdev) Temple Jatara account