Sammakka Sarakka Mahatyam One can feel the real presence of the Goddesses as soon as you enter the forest of Medaram. Around 90 Lakhs devotees visited the holy place of Medaram in the year 2006. Medarm is located in Warangal District of Telangana State (India) and devotees from states of Orissa, MP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra visit the Jatara which is held once in every two years.
Goddesses temple.
A little festival of tribal origin in Telangana State has become a major pilgrimage in the last six years. The Sammakka festival is held once in every two years at Medaram, in the heart of the thick forests of Warangaldistrict. The population of the little forest village at Medaram in normal times never exceeds 300. Suddenly, during the month of February it rises to over 90 Lakhs.... of devotees come from all over Telangana State and five neighboring states. This festival is held to get the blessings of goddesses Sammakka and Sarakka. It's believed that in those 3 to 4 days of the Jatara, goddesses real presence is felt.
People believe in Goddesses Sammakka, Sarakka fulfill their desires with their divine and miraculous powers. Issueless Couples visit to pray the goddesses to bless them with children while young girls pray for good life partners.
Many a pilgrim pay their promises made to goddess during the Jatra, by offering Jaggery, calfs, coconuts and donations in cash etc. Pilgrims take bathe in Jampanna stream to get purified and absolve from sins.
Many a pilgrim pay their promises made to goddess during the Jatra, by offering Jaggery, calfs, coconuts and donations in cash etc. Pilgrims take bathe in Jampanna stream to get purified and absolve from sins.
On the special day - Maghasudha pournami
The actual festival begins in the month of Magha, on Sudha Pournami (full moon day) evening when Sarakka (in the form of a vermilion) would be traditionally brought from Kanneboyinapalle, a neibhouring village in the forest, and placed on a gadde, an earthen platform raised under a tree.
By next sunset,the main goddess Sammakka (in the form of a vermilion) will be brought from Chilukalagutta. There are two gaddes (platforms) Separately one for goddess "Sammakka" and other for goddess "Sarakka". They are represented by bamboo sticks smeared with turmeric and vermilion (Pasupu and Kunkuma). Since time immemorial, there is a huge tree standing on Sammakka gadde.
When the priests bring out the ochre box and other relics from a hidden forest location, there is great tumult with frenzied beating of drums, blowing of trumpets and full throated yells. It is said that during the festival a huge tiger prowls around peacefully.Offerings are coconuts and jaggery. They are piled at the foot of the trees.
Brief History
There are many legends about the miraculous powers of sammakka and one of them is, In 13th century, some tribal leaders who went for a hunting found a new born girl child emitting enormous light playing amidst tigers. She was taken to their habitation and brought up as a chief tain (She later became the saviour of the tribals of the region) she was married to Pagididda Raju a feudatory tribal chief of Kakatiyas who were the rulers of this area. She was blessed with 2 daughters and one son namely Sarakka, Nagulamma and Jampanna respectively
How the festival day will be like…?
This tiny village located in the thick forest area witness surging crowds start a week before the festival. Hundreds of private and Govt vehicles will be engaged in transporting countless number of pilgrims flocking the venue of historic Sammakka Sarakka jatara site. The Gaddelu, the sanctum sanctorum of this jatara site, will be filled to maximum and the devotees continue to throng the venue. The whole of Medaram village will be lit up for the celebrations. Hundreds of shops and petty business enterprises come up all over. The pilgrims will be seen spread over 15 km around the venue. Temporary dwellings spring up presenting a spectacular sight.
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