Indigenous people from different parts of the country began thronging Medaram, a tiny hamlet in Tadwai forests of Telangana’s Mulugu district, for the four-day biennial tribal fair – Sammakka Saralamma jatara, which began on Wednesday.
Considered to be the biggest tribal festival of the country, Sammakka-Saralamma jatara is expected to witness a record turnout of around 20 million tribals and non-tribals from across the country, particularly from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and West Bengal.
The tribal fair is celebrated to worship two tribal women – Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma of the 13th century, in the form of deities, on “Magha Suddha Pournami” (the full-moon day of the month of Magha).
The tribals believe that Sammakka and Saralamma had laid down their lives fighting the mighty emperors of the Kakatiya dynasty who had attacked their little tribal hamlet demanding royalty and sought to destroy their life and culture.
The tribal fair commenced with the arrival of tribal deity Saralamma to her “gadde” (sacred platform), along with her co-tribal warriors Govindarajulu and Pagididda Rajulu on Wednesday evening. “On Thursday, Sammakka will be brought from the neighbouring hillock – Chilakalagutta. On Friday, devotees would make offerings to the deities and vow fulfilments and on January 31, festival concludes with the deities returning to the forest,” state tribal welfare minister Dhanasari Anasuya Seethakka said.
The devotees have been flocking Medaram since the early hours to witness the arrival of Saralamma Govindarajulu and Pagididdaraju near the sacred Jampanna Vagu stream. Saralamma was ceremoniously brought from Kannepally hill to her designated platform, amid rhythmic drumbeats, and fervent chants.
Devotees, who have been staying in makeshift camps at Medaram for the last two days, are presenting their offerings (jaggery, saree, and rice) to the tribal deities, which will continue till Friday.
Devotees took holy dips in the Jampanna Vagu — a tributary of the Godavari — named after the legendary warrior Jampanna, who is believed to have died fighting injustice. The ritual bath, pilgrims believe, washes away sins and ushers in blessings.
The Telangana government has taken up large-scale permanent infrastructure and development works on the Sammakka–Saralamma fair with an expenditure of ₹251 crore.
Unlike previous editions where temporary facilities were erected for the biennial event, the Telangana government has now undertaken permanent granite constructions around the sacred “gaddelu” (platforms), designed to last for centuries.
These works were initiated with the complete approval of tribal elders and priest associations. “A total of ₹101 crore has been spent solely on the expansion of the gaddelu premises. Around 4,000 tonnes of granite have been used to build structures resembling historical monuments,” an official statement from Mulug district administration said.
In a major cultural initiative, the government has installed 32 granite pillars around the gaddelu, showcasing tribal traditions, rituals, lifestyle, and the history of the Koya community through intricate sculptures.
“Based on 930-year-old Koya palm-leaf manuscripts, these carvings depict Sammakka, Saralamma, Govindaraju, Pagididdarajulu and Jampanna, besides wildlife representations such as tigers, deer, elephants and peacocks, nearly 750 Koya family names and over 7,000 sculptures narrating tribal legacy for future generations,” the statement said.
A total of 42,027 officials and staff from 21 departments have been deployed for jathara duties. The festival area has been divided into eight zones and 42 sectors. Special officers have been appointed for each sector, supported with walkie-talkie communication systems for real-time coordination.
The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is operating 4,000 buses and 51,000 special trips. For healthcare services, the government has arranged 108 ambulances, including bike ambulances, besides setting up medical camps and round-the-clock hospital services with specialised doctors and essential medicines, the statement added.
Curated by Dr. Elena Rodriguez
