Sammakka Sarakka Jatara or Medaram Jatara in Warangal is the biggest tribal fair held once every two year. This tribal fair is held as festival in Warangal district. This is held in the month of Magha (Telugu calendar) which usually falls in February. This year it is a bit early and Jatara is celebrated from 27th to 30th January. There is historic background to this
festival.
There is history saying that in 12th century Kakatiya king attacked tribal king for not paying dues. Tribal king and king’s wife Sammakka, her daughters Sarakka (Saralamma), Nagulamma and son Jampanna fought with the Kakatiya Army. The tribal king and his daughters died in the war. Jampanna, disheartened with the death of his family members drowned himself in a stream (now called Jampanna vaagu). Sammakka fought bravely and Kakatiya Army which found difficulty in facing her back stabbed her. Seriously injured Sammakka disappeared into the forest (Chilakala gutta) never to be traced. After sometime some tribals had a dream that Sammakka is at a particular place in the form of Kum Kum Bharina. They went and
searched in that place and found it. They brought it to Medaram and placed it at ‘Gadde’ and started worshipping her. Since then this ritual of fair and festival is going on every two years.
For the past few years the devotees to these Jatara have increased. People from adjacent districts and states also visit this place.
This Jatara is also celebrated at larger scale at Agram Pahad which is about 20Km from Hanamkonda. This is also called as ‘Chinna Medaram’. It is easy to go there the devotees are very less when compared to that at Medaram.
People of Telangana want this to be given the place of national festival as it is attracting people from all over the nation and those who stay in other countries also come here to visit the deities during jatara and take blessings of Sammakka and Sarakka.
(I did not write details of the story or Jatara as I had already
written about it in my
previous blog).
