Devotees during the 'Sammakka Saralamma Jatara', at Medaram in Mulugu district, Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: The four day 'Sammakka Saralamma Jatara' which is said to be the world's largest congregation of tribals has kick-started at Medaram in Mulugu district on Wednesday.
Around one core pilgrims are expected to visit Medaram during the four days festival, which is conducted once in two years.
Government had made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the festival. President Droupadi Murmu will be visiting Medaram to participate in the tribal festival on Feb 23.
The Medaram Jatara commemorates the fight of a mother and daughter, Sammakka and Saralamma, with the reigning rulers against an unjust law.
It is believed that during Medaram jatara, the goddesses of the tribals visit them. Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in Mulugu.
Many tribal devotees from different states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Jharkhand reach the festival place to celebrate the Jatara. People offer bangaram/gold in the form of jaggery of a quantity equal to their weight to the goddesses and take holy bath in Jampanna Vagu stream.
This Jathara has been declared as a state festival during 1998. The four day celebration begins with the arrival of Saralamma on to the ‘Medaram Gaddhe’- Platform and concludes on the last day as Vana Pravesham of Sammakka and Sarakka. After getting worshipped by millions of devotees, devatas return back to the forest. It marks the conclusion of 4-day Sammakka Saralamma Jathara.