Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara

Medaram Jatara is a religious festival which is celebrated once in two year for four days during January – February.   In 2012 the Jatara begins on 8^th February, 2012.   Many tribal people participate in the fair.   People throng Medaram villages which is located in Dandakaranya to have the Darshan of Sammakka and Saralamma.

History of Medaram Jatara

About 6 – 7 centuries ago, some people belonging to Koya tribes were travelling through the forest where they found a little girl playing with the tigers.   They head of tribal group adopted the brave and named her Sammakka. When she grew up, she got married to the head of another village.   She gave birth to a girl who was Saralamma.

At that time Kakatiyas were ruling Andhra and Koya tribes helped them in a war.   After few days there was a severe drought in that area for years and Koyas did not have anything to eat.   Even the Godavari River dried up.   But since the Koya tribe is a tributary to Kakatiyas they were insisted to pay taxes which the tribes could not do.

Angered with this, the Kakatiya emperor sent his forces to collect taxes from Koya tribe forcibly.   Koyas fought with the forces in which many Koya people died.   To resume peace, the Kakatiya chief minister offered to end the war and he promised to make Sammakka chief queen in king’s harem.   Sammakka refused and opted for war to avenge the dead.   The war continued and Sammakka was wounded.   Sammakka promised to protect her people until they remember her and cursed the Kakatiya dynasty.   She then disappeared in to the forest.   When Koyas searched for Sammakka they only found a red ochre box, bangle and pug-marks or tigress.

From that time, they Koyas and other tribes in India are holding a big festival in remembrance of Sammakka and Saralamma which is Medaram Jatara.   There is no idol to worship.   Every year a Koya boy searches in the forest and brings two vermilion caskets that are tied to a piece of bamboo, one representing Sammakka and other her daughter Saralamma.

Medaram Jatara Celebrations

Medaram Jatara begins on the full moon day or Suddha Pournami in the month of Magha.   In 2012,the date is 8^th February, 2012.   The deity would be brought from Kannepoyinapalle village.   The deity would be traditionally installed on a platform under a tree.   Animal scarification is done as a part of worship.   Many devotees come dancing ecstatically; they are believed to be processed by the Goddess.   Jaggery and coconut are the main offering to the Goddess.   Few devotees offer Jaggery that equals to their weight.   Shiva Shathi, Lakshmi Devara and Pabba are the ancient practices that can be witnessed at the Jatara.   Shiva Shathi are women possessed by the Goddess.   These go in to trance and childless women come to take the blessings of these women.   The blessing process is referred as pabba.   The heads of children are tonsured.   Young girls are made to offer special prayers to Goddess to get good husbands.

Medaram village becomes the hub of activity during the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara days.   Thesmall village in the forest is visited by lakhs of people.   The inflow of people begins from one week before the Jatara day.   Private and government vehicles are seen transporting huge number of devotees to the site.   Many temporary shops come up around the gadde.   Temporary dwelling also can be seen around the place during the Jatara days.

Medaram Jatara is a state festival of Andhra Pradesh.   People from neighboring states also come to participate in the celebration.   Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh represents the state government in the Jatara.   Government makes arrangements for the Jatara on a large scale.   Many departments such as RTC, railways, health and sanitation make arrangements for the success of the festival.

Accommodation at Medaram

Medaram Sammakka Saralamma jatara is a tribal festival held for every two years. In 2012 the Jatara begins on 8^th February. Pilgrims, who reach Medaram Jatara, first take bath in the Jampanna vagu and go for the darshan of Deities. Government is constructing bathing ghats at the Jampanna vagu. Devotees take Jaggery which is offered to the deities.

Pilgrims who go to Medaram Jatara can get accommodation at the surrounding villages of Medaram. Accommodation will also be available in nearby places like Tandvai, Warangal etc. Warangal has many good hotels and lodges with good facilities. Temporary dwellings come up around the villageduring the festival. Those who want to stay in Medaram should take blankets, torch lights, match boxes, stove, and all the cooking equipment along with them. Medical kit also should be carried as a precautionary measure. Since there will be heavy rush of devotees it is better to avoid wearing gold ornaments. Children should be taken great care as there is a chance for them to miss in the crowd.

Medaram Jatara Interesting facts

• Nearly 80 lakh devotes visited Medaram Jatara in 2010. Officials are expecting the number to reach one crore in 2012.
• More than five lakh devotees utilized the services of APSRTC during 2012 Medaram jatara. There is a chance that this number will increase this year.

APSRTC is running nearly thousand special buses to Medaram in for Medaram Jatara. A bus leaves MGBS, Hyderabad for every 20 minutes to Medaram.

Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara which is being recognized as South Indian Kumbh Mela will begin on 9^th February and continue till 11^th February, 2012. Large numbers of devotees visit the Jatara every year.

How to reach Medaram?

From Hyderabad one can reach Medaram via Warangal. Warangal is at a distance of 130 kms from Warangal and from there it is 110 kms to Medaram. Warangal is well connected with trains and buses from all parts of Andhra Pradesh. From Warangal one can take RTC buses or taxis or trains which will take the passengers up to Nalgonda railway station to reach Medaram. Nearby railway station to Medaram is Nalgonda Railway station which is at a distance of 54 km, Srirampuram Railway station at a distance of 56 km, Macheral railway station which is 56 kms and Tipparthi railway station which is at a distance of 60 kms from Medaram. RTC buses take the passengers up to Medaram. Nearby Air ports of Medaram are Warangal airport, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, and Vijayawada Airport. Nearby cities are Warangal and Hanamkonda.

Visitors who come from Lakhnavaram to Medaram should reach Pasra travelling on the main road. From there a left turn is to be taken and Medaram is 24 kms from Pasra. There is another route from Pasra in which tourists should travel 13 kilometers and reach Tadvai and from there they have to take a left turn and travel 14 kms to reach Medaram

APSRTC will operate more than 1,000 buses to Medaram during the Sammakka Saralamma jatara that begins on 8^th February, 2012. From Mahatma Gandhi bus station one luxury bus will leave for every twenty minutes. APSRTC will run buses from all the districts of Telangana to Warangal for Medaram Jatara.