Hello Vishnu, this is a very interesting post. It would be useful if you can provide some information on the particular yatra you had seen or participated in. I am told that such jathres are a widespread feature of Karnataka and Andhra. Each has a name and is associated with a locality. It would be wonderful if we could map some of these yatras and get more detailed information on the practices associated with them. If you could send a photograph or two and more specific information it would help us begin to get a more detailed idea of the phenomenon.