HYDERABAD: Devotees from Telangana, Karnataka and neighbouring regions gathered at Dharur for the 104-year-old Annual Methodist Christian Jatara, a religious congregation known for its traditional hymns, folk music, prayers and worship services. The event was inaugurated on Tuesday by C.G. Dayanand, bishop-in-charge of the Hyderabad Regional Conference, with a procession of pastors from Telangana and Karnataka. The congregation will conclude with the main Sunday service.
A large influx of devotees from Hyderabad and Secunderabad is expected on Saturday. The gathering, estimated to attract six to eight lakh people, features prayer meetings, devotional singing and worship sessions continuing late into the night.
Located amid forests near Ananthagiri Hills, the venue draws devotees who camp in tents throughout the congregation. Many from neighbouring villages walk to the venue to participate in the prayers.
John Wilson, a devotee from Hyderabad, said the peaceful surroundings offered a welcome break from the noise and hectic pace of city life. He said the natural setting, spiritual messages and devotional music made the experience particularly meaningful.
Rev. Dhiraj Kumar James, who conducts Marathi services, said he had been attending the Jatara for two decades. He said prayers and devotional songs were conducted in English, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi, reflecting the gathering’s longstanding rural traditions.
The Jatara was started by missionary Rev. Tatha Seamonds and a few local missionaries, who initially conducted prayers under a tree. Over the decades, it grew into a major annual religious congregation. The event is held beside Dharur Vagu, a tributary of the Bori river, near the Ananthagiri Hills.
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