Devotees Gather for Medaram Jatara Despite Dry Stream
Warangal: There was no water in the Jampannavagu stream, but this did not stop devotees from visiting Medaram on the first day of the four-day Sammakka and Saralamma Jatara on Wednesday.
Taking a holy dip in Jampannavagu before praying to the Adivasi deities, Sammakka and Saralamma, is an old tradition at Medaram, a small village in Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district. The rituals performed at this mini jatara are similar to those at the main festival. However, the tribal deities are not brought to the altars as they are in the main event.
The Siddaboina clan began the rituals by cleaning the Sammakka temple in Medaram, a tradition known as manda melige. Meanwhile, the Kaka clan priests cleaned the Saralamma temple at Kannepalli, which is a couple of kilometers away. This marked the official start of the jatara on Magha Suddha Pournami.
Both temples were decorated with mango-leaf festoons, and a dhwaja stambam (sacred pillar) was installed. The priests also offered a country rooster to the deities and placed it at the main entrances of both the village and the temple.
Expecting around 20 lakh devotees over four days, the district administration made arrangements at a cost of Rs 5.30 crore. Additionally, the Endowment Ministry provided Rs 60 lakh. Since the Jampannavagu stream was dry, 320 showers were installed at the bathing ghat so devotees could take a holy bath.
To ensure the smooth conduct of the jatara, the government deployed 1,950 employees, including 1,000 police personnel. In the past, mostly tribal devotees attended the main jatara. However, in recent decades, the event has gained popularity among non-tribals as well. Today, non-tribal devotees outnumber tribal participants at the festival.
