Kamdev (Khamdev) Temple Jatara
Thodasam Clan’s Sacred Festival | Unique Sesame Oil Ritual | Annual Gathering of Raj Gonds Narnoor village & mandal, Adilabad district, Telangana — celebrated every year by the Thodasam clan of Raj Gonds on the full moon day (Purnima) of Pushya masam (January) . The five-day festival draws thousands of Adivasis from Gond, Kolam, Thoti, and Pardhan communities, as well as devotees from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
Annual – Pushya Purnima (Jan) 5-day festival (since 2017) Thodasam clan Lord Khamdev (clan deity) Sesame oil ritual Since 1961 tradition 20+ sisters performed No liquor, no footwear Where a paternal sister drinks sesame oil for three y…
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Durajpalli Peddagattu Jatara (Gollagattu Jatara)
Biennial Serpent & Tribal Festival | Lord Lingamanthulu Swamy & Goddess Choudamma | 25 Lakh Devotees Durajpalli, Chivemla Mandal, Suryapet district, Telangana — celebrated every two years prior to Maha Shivaratri in the lunar month of Magha masam (January–February) . This is the second largest congregation in Telangana after the Medaram Jatara, drawing devotees from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Biennial (every 2 years) 5-day festival Magha masam (Jan-Feb) Lord Lingamanthulu Swamy (Shiva) Goddess Choudamma (sister) 25+ lakh devotees Since 16th century Deverapetta box Where Lord Shiva descends as Lingamanthulu S…
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Bonalu – The Folk Festival of Mother Goddess
Ashada Month Celebrations | Secunderabad Lashkar Bonalu | Potharaju & Rangam Traditions 22 Days | Regional Goddesses | Thottelu | Palaharam Bandi | Oracle Foretelling Bonalu is a folk festival dedicated to the Mother Goddess, very famous and loved by people. It is celebrated during the rainy season month of Ashada (around July/August) and goes on usually for twenty‑two days. A minimum of twenty days is conceptually required to fulfil the promises given to the mother goddess by carrying out pooja on the very first day and last day. Meaning of Bonalu & Worshipped Deities Bonalu derived from Bhojanalu meaning food , which is offered to the mother goddess. Bonalu involves the worship of Moth…
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Keslapur Nagoba Jatara
Second Largest Tribal Carnival | Mesaram Clan of Gonds | 10-day Serpent Festival Keslapur village, Inderavelly Mandal, Adilabad district, Telangana — celebrated by the Mesaram clan of Raj Gonds and Pardhans every year in the lunar month of Pushya masam (December–January) . Devotees from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and across Telangana gather to worship Nagoba (Sheshnag), the clan deity and progenitor of the Mesaram lineage.
10 days duration Pushya masam (Dec-Jan) Mesaram clan Nagoba (serpent god) 2,500+ families 90 km barefoot walk 1,400 yr old brass vessel Where the serpent god calls his children home. The Keslapur Nagoba Jatara is the second biggest tribal festival in…
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Dandari-Ghusadi (Gussadi) Festival
10-day Tribal Dance Festival | Raj Gond & Kolam | Telangana's Living Heritage Northern Telangana – Adilabad, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial & Nirmal districts . Celebrated by the Raj Gond and Kolam tribes for about 10 days during Deepavali. The festival begins with a crescent moon and ends on the dark moon day (Diwali). A spectacular re-enactment of the celestial marriage procession of Yetma, daughter of the God of Creation.
10 days duration Diwali season Ghusadi & Dandari dances Peacock crowns Thudum, Pepre, Dhol Marriage alliances Padmalpuri Khako shrine Where the forest comes alive with drumbeats and peacock feathers. The Dandari-Ghusadi festival transforms every Adivas…
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