By: James Edwin
All roads now lead to the tiny, sleepy village of Medaram tucked away in the midst of thick forests of Tadwai mandal in the district.
The village with a few houses and a sparse population has now turned into a sea of humanity that thronged to witness the historic Sammakka Saralamma Jatara Around one crore devotees from across the state and neighbouring states like Chattisgarh,Odisha, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh expected to participate in the Jatara.
The Medaram Jatara was the biggest tribal fair in Asia. Sammakka Saralamma Jatara, a state-festival begins on Magha Shudda Pournami usually in the month of February every two years.
The proceedings of the Jatara will begin on Wednesday after the deity Saralamma is brought from Kannepalli village, four kilometres away from Medaram. Sammakka will be escorted by tribal priests from Chilakalagutta, two kilometres away from Medar am. The formless deities will be consecrated on open-air altar called Gaddelu. the deities will together adore the Gaddel for a day on Friday.
The following day the deities will be taken back and will be left at their respective places marking the conclusion of the Jatara. Coinciding with the main Jatara at Medaram, as many dozen smaller Sammakka Saralamma Jataras will take place at different places in the district. [The HANS India]