Myths and Rituals of the Goddess Nookalamma
III. 12(b). Polemera Katta
IV.13. RituaI Process: The Jatara
Ritual process of annual festival of Goddess Nookalamma varies from one region to the other. Though the Jatara is celebrated in the same days on Kotha Amavasya (Telugu New Year Day) throughout north coastal Andhra, certain ritual practices like Sidibomma are not followed in every part of this region. The ritual process in fisherman communities is quite dreadful than other communities.
Throughout north coastal Andhra, the annual Jatara is celebrated on Kotha Amavasya. According to the popularity of the place, the numbers of days of celebration are decided in the temples at Anakapalle and Kakinada. The festival is celebrated for forty-five days. At Kandrakota, the festival is celebrated for
thirty-seven days. In small villages and other towns, which are not very popular, the festival is celebrated for nine days.
The forty-five days Sambaralu (celebrations) starts from Falguna Bahula Amavasya to Chairta Bahula Amavasya (March- April).
Fifteen days before Sambaralu starts an announcement is made in the village and neighboring villages. This announcement is called Chatu, done by a Madiga. By beating a drum (dappu) he announces that Nookalamma Sambaralu are about to start. People are intimated to be ready to celebrate. People go to temple without playing drums in a procession in the night of Thursday or Sunday, which comes after new moon day. The Garagalu (brass pots) will be taken in a procession to the head of the village community. There the house owner offers Kumbam in a Cheta (a bamboo tray usually a winnowing form) filled with sesame cakes, rice and Pidakalu (cakes made of dung to make fire). Then the procession will go back to the temple.
The Garagalu carriers wash the Garagalu and then offer kumbam. The carriers of garagalu are called Asadis. Asadis include different communities like Gavaras, Malas, Madiga, Upparas, Washermen and Fishermen. In some of the Kapu dominated villages for example at Kolanka, Kapus also carry the Garagalu.
To each Garaga one Dappu (drum) more is added. That means for two Garagalu three Dappus are played for three Garagalu four Dappus are played. If the number of Dappus comes to seven one more Dappu is added, thus making the number eight, since number seven is in auspicious.
In the first week of celebrations, three Garagalu (Fig. 7 ) are taken in a procession. In the next five weeks, five Garagalu are taken in a procession. In the last week on Thursday or Sunday, silver Garaga along with other Garagalu is taken in a procession. In the procession, the devotees collect rice and money from door to door. All these days devotees from different places visit the temple to fulfill their vows. In one of these days Sidibomma ritual is practiced in lower part of north coastal Andhra. All these days people visit from different places to offer their vows.
In the last two days, Chinna Jagaram and Pedda Jagaram are celebrated.
Jagaram means keeping awake. On Chinna Jagaram until 12'0. clock in the night the temple is kept open and devotees are allowed to visit the temple. On Peda Jagaram temple kept open the whole night for the visitors. In these two days, devotees maintain fasting and traditional bards will tell the story of the great ness of the goddess Nookalamma.
On the day of Kotha Amavasya, Polimera Katta is prepared. That means at each
animal is mixed with cooked rice. With the rice, small balls are prepared. The devotees make a hut shrine with poles and neem leaves. A coconut is offered at the tent later they leave the food there itself and come back to the village with out looking back. After performing the same ritual at all the four boundaries, they bring the butchers knife to the Pujari's house. In the same night, the knife and three garages will be taken into a procession. The same knife will be handed over to the Madiga to behead the animals and fowls, which are kept for sacrifice on the day of Jatara. Usually during the procession, the goddess possesses devotees. The goddess tells whatever she wants through the possessed devotees.
Through out the procession Garagalu dance, Dappu plays, fire works and toddy drinking entertain devotees.
On the early morning of Ugadi (Telugu New Year's Day), Baddekadugtf Utsavam (celebration of washing the threshold of the Temple) is celebrated.
Navdhanya/u means nine varieties of seeds mixed in the juice of pumpkin are taken in a pot and offered to the goddess as Naivedyam. In some places instead of pumpkin, blood of the sacrificed animal, will be used. By cutting, the ear of a male goat the blood will be taken in an iron container and then the seeds are mixed in the blood. One full day and night the doors are kept closed by keeping a log in front of the threshold. The next day, the logs are removed and the threshold are cleaned with the water brought from the river Godavari. The Pujari checks the seeds in the pot. If the seeds become sprouts it is assumed that
community where blood is used instead of pumpkin, if the blood is concentrated they assume that every thing will go well in that year. If not some thing bad will happen to the village.