Farming activity in the agency areas of formerly undivided Adilabad has now shifted to harvesting of foodgrains which, sadly, has been reduced to a religious affair for the Adivasis, especially the Raj Gonds, Kolams, Pardhans and Thottis. No longer do the green gram and cow pea, being harvested now, and the black gram, which will be ready for cutting in a week or two, constitute the staple diet of the aboriginal tribes.
The ethnic farmers are cultivating these crops to reap only the quantum required for religious purposes or for their commercial value. Only a part of the fields are sown with legumes which had once sustained the Adivasis. The religious activity associated with cultivation of the crops is, however, performed with the same enthusiasm and gusto. The ‘Nuvvong’ puja, or the puja of new grains can be seen being performed in every field where harvesting is to be launched.
As part of the puja, farmers make an offering of a mixture of split lentils and jaggery for the god of farming besides thanking goddess Jangubai for the crop, mainly the green gram and beans. More thanksgiving comes by way of a quick pilgrimage to the Jangubai cave temple located deep inside the Kota-Parandoli gram panchayat in Kerameri mandal in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district on the day of Dasara as the seeds had been sown earlier in the season after seeking blessings of the goddess too.
The aboriginal farmers who, for some reason, cannot make it to the cave temple thank the goddess at temples located in respective villages. They will make a pilgrimage later during the holy ‘poos’ or paushya month which usually in December-January. “The black gram or urad is considered to be sacred as it is the main ingredient of ‘garkang’ or the moong vada, the most preferred offering to gods. Black gram is neither consumed nor sold until the Adivasis go through the thanksgiving process which includes the offering of garkang,” disclosed Kanaka Ambaji Rao, a youth leader and farmer from Marlavai village in Jainoor mandal.
The Kolams also perform the Nuvvong puja in the field but may or may not make a pilgrimage of Jangubai cave temple. Kumra Bheem Rao, a Kolam farmer from Markaguda in Indervelli mandal of Adilabad district revealed that his tribe usually offers all the thanksgiving to their gods in the agriculture fields itself, as do the Thottis while Pardhans make the pilgrimage.
