Sammakka Saralammala Jatara 2020!

Devotees performing rituals!

SAMMAKKA, SARALAMMALA JATARA!

ANOTHER KUMBH MELA!! 

The famous traditional “Sammakka, Saralammala Jatara” 2020 is going to vibrate Telangana soon. This is the biggest tribal traditional festival happens in entire India. The four day festival is also known as “Medaram Jatara”.  “Medaram” location falls under Tadwai Mandal, Warangal district. And this place is a part of Dandakaranya.

The Mega Tribal Festival attracts entire Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and some other parts of South India. As the past records, the festival attracts more than 10 Million people (the biggest after kumb mela) across the country. Sevaral people call it another kumbh mela or south indian kumbh mela.

History 

The story behind Sammakka, Saralamma is a fight of a mother and daughter with unjustified rulers and their law. 

There are many stories about the miraculous  powers of Sammakka. As per a tribal story that few hunters went into a forest for bringing food. They found a baby (sammakka) playing amidst a group of tigers. The newborn female child with all smiles and glow of light. The hunters immediately picked her and brought her to their habitation. The head of the tribe adopted her. She became a saviour of the tribe and later on married to Pagididda Raju, a tribal chief of Kakatiyas. Sammakka blessed with two daughters and named them Sarakka, Nagulamma and only son as Jampanna.

Ritual

• The Sammakka Sarakka Jatara is a State Festival of Govt. of Telangana. A massive section of people across India are participating in this biggest tribal festival. More than 10 Million people are expecting to attend this year too. 

• People offer bangaram/gold (jaggery) of a quantity equal to their weight to the goddesses and take holy bath in Jampanna Vagu (stream).

• It is a festival with no vedic or purohit influence.

Jampanna vagu

Jampanna vagu is a side stream to River Godavari. According to the history, Jampanna is the tribal warrior and the son of Tribal Goddess Sammakka. The Jampanna vagu took his name as he died in a battle fighting against Kakatiya Army in that stream.

Medaram jatara Dates, 2020 :

This year the festival commences from February 5th till February 8th. The Hon’ble  Chief Minister  of Telangana Shri.K.Chandrasekhar Rao and Governor of Telangana expected to be attending for the inauguration of the festival.

Day One (05/02/2020): 

The Inaugural Day of “Medaram Jatara” is celebrated for the arrival of Saralamma to Medaram Gadde from Kannepalli village. Before this, Pujaris perform a special pooja at Kannepalli where young men and women, couples who seek children and sufferers from various diseases attend. The villagers of Kannepalli, a village near Medaram Gadde, perform “Arati” and organise grand farewell to Saralamma. From here “Saralamma” brought to Medaram Gadde via “Jampanna Vagu”. After arriving in Saralamma to Medaram Gadde, devotees offer Special Poojas to the Goddess.

Day Two (06/02/2020): 

The 2nd day of Medaram Jatara is celebrated as the arrival of Sammakka on to the ‘Medaram Gadde’. Sammakka is welcomed amidst the official homage from police and government. ‘Edurukolla Ghattam’ is one of the popular events during the arrival of Sarakka. On this day, pujaris bring bamboo sticks and place them on the ‘Gaddhe’.Sammakka is usually installed at Chilakala Gutta in the form of a ‘Kumkuma Bharina’. Sammakka is the presiding deity of Medaram Sammakka Saralamma Jatara At Chilakala Gutta, as the indication of the arrival of Sammakka, the district SP (Superintendent of Police) fires his gun thrice in the air. 

Day Three (07/02/2020): 

On the 3rd day of Medaram Jatara, Sammakka Saralamma darshan is available for devotees. After performing Punya Snanam in ‘Jampanna Vagu’, devotees visit the Goddesses. Devotees offer various offerings to Sammakka Saralamma. Women offer ‘Odi Biyyam’ (sacred rice) and ‘saare’ (combination of necessary items in daily items) to the Goddesses. The third day is the busiest one among the four festival days. The important offering in Sammakka Sarakka Jatara is ‘Bangaram’ (bellam, the Gold). Jaggery is offered as gold to the Goddesses.

Day Four (08/02/2020): 

Last, the 4th day of Medaram Jathara is celebrated 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.The same security and the official homage they have got while arriving on to the Medaram Gadde are paid to the Goddesses while returning to the forest (Vana Pravesham).