Sammakka Saralamma Jatara
sammakka saralamma jatara also sammakka sarakka jatara medaram jatara festival honour hindu tribal goddess celebrated state telangana india jatara known witnessing one largest human gathering world people offer bellam jaggery locally called bangaram deity jatara begin medaram tadvai mandala mulugu district ritual related goddess entirely performed koya tribe priest accordance koya custom tradition people used visit medaram majority belonged koya tribe large number nonkoya pilgrim crore visit medaram koya people comprise total worshipper medaram remote place eturnagaram wildlife sanctuary part dandakaranya largest surviving forest belt deccan declared national festival jatara considered intangible cultural heritage humanity tag unesco jatara celebrated time goddess sammakka saralamma tribals believed visit believed kumbha mela sammakka saralamma jatara attracts largest number devotes country many legend miraculous power sammakka according thcentury tribal legend tribal leader hunt found newborn girl sammakka enveloped light playing amidst tiger took tribal chief adopted raised leader later became saviour tribals region married pagididda raju tribal chief koyas medaram ruled kakatiyas headquarters warangal city ad ad sammakka two daughter one son sarakka alias saralamma nagulamma jampanna king prataprudra kakatiyas imposed tax koya tribe could pay result king prataprudra declared war koya tribe pagididda raju killed ensuing battle forcing griefstricken sammakka pick fight daughter saralamma son jampanna soninlaw govinda raju sammakka almost saralamma died battle jampanna mortally wounded fell bleeding sampangi vaagu stream legend stream turned red blood stream renamed jampanna vaagu honour jampannas sacrifice distraught sammakka retired hill called chilakala gutta turned kumkuma bharani jar filled kumkuma powder battle sammakka saralamma deified festival organized honour every year day koya tribe devotee believe sammakka saralamma manifestation adi parashakti sent protect jatara celebration honour sacrifice kumkuma jar brought medaram people wash jampanna vaagu followed offering jaggery sammakka saralamma jatara held biannually ie two year four day start arrival goddess gaddelu medaram end vanapravēsham entry forest day wednesday sarakkas idol carried kannepalli medaram pagididda rajus idol carried poonugondla medaram day thursday sammakkas idol kumkum casket carried medaram usually midnight long secret pujas koya tribe chilakala gutta hill kumkum casket kept govinda rajus idol carried kondai medaram day friday peak day jatara believed day adi parashakti worshipped sammakka sarakka along respective spouse pagididda raju govinda raju worshipped devotee bathe jampanna vaagu offer weight jaggery sammakka sarakka day saturday jatara end tallula vanapravēsham goddess entry forest māgha shuddha pōōrnami kumkum casket carried back chilakala gutta kept next jatara sammakka sarakka jatara tribal hindu festival held km warangal city time largest tribal congregation world held every two year biennial approximately ten million people converging place period four day many devotee different state india andhra pradesh telangana madhya pradesh chhattisgarh odisha maharashtra karnataka part jharkhand reach festive place celebrate jatara people offer bellam jaggery equal weight goddess take holy dip jampanna vagu stream nearly million people estimated attended festival gathering jatara roughly estimated million fair said largest repeating congregation tribal community world also one largest hindu gathering world festival held first one formation telangana state took greater significance special attention state government jampanna vagu originally known sampangi vagu tributary river godavari according history jampanna tribal warrior son tribal goddess sammakka jampanna vagu took name died battle fighting kakatiyan army stream tribals believe taking holy dip water jampanna vagu honour reminds sacrifice god saved also induces courage soul bridge constructed top jampanna vagu known jampanna vagu bridge people offer gold form jagri gratitude wish like getting marriage kid job business etc weight gold based individual weight year cm telangana offered gold weighed kg based historian people used carry jagri traveling medaram good dehydrant also jagri available tribals precious jatara venue situated km warangal km khammam km karimnagar km suryapet km hyderabad km rajahmundry via bhadrachalam manuguru way reach medaram bullock cart andhra pradesh state government declared yr old festival official laid paved road tsrtc run multiple bus venue jatara period also many private vehicle render service plying visitor aerial view service using helicopter also provided festival jatara well facilitated road potable water sanitation health hygiene government telangana