MULUGU: The four-day Medaram Jatara conducted in the honour of Goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma came to an end on Saturday with both deities being escorted from their altars back to the forest. Tribal priests performed traditional rituals and conducted ‘Vana Pravesham’ for the Goddesses amid drum beats and lively dancing by devotees.
While Goddess Sammakka was taken back to Chilukalagutta, Goddess Saralamma was taken to Kannepalli village, Pagiddaraju (Sammakka’s husband) to Poonugondlu village in Kothaguda and Govindaraju (Saralamma’s husband) returned to Kondayi village in Eturunagaram.
Police personnel and district officials paid their homage to the Sammakka-Saralamma deities before they were returned to the forest in their respective areas. Tribal priests started ‘Vana Pravesham’ of both deities at 6 pm which concluded at 9 pm inside the forest.
Though the Jatara ended officially on Saturday, people keep arriving for darshan for over a week. Traders and other service providers remain and the festive atmosphere continues to prevail. Meanwhile, devotees who set up temporary shelters surrounding the temple, are slowly leaving.
Lakhs of devotees rushed to Medaram on the last day of the jatara for a darshan of the Goddesses. They offered ‘Eduru Kollu’, a sacrificial offering of country chicken and jaggery as prasadam.
Guv, Ministers offer prayers
On the last day, Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Endowment Minister Indira Kiran Reddy and Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundarajan visited the jatara site and offered prayers. As a part of the tradition, Dayakar Rao offered bangaram (jaggery) equalling his weight to the Goddesses. TPCC president A Revanth Reddy also visited Medaram Jatara to offer prayers.
Speaking to the media, Dayakar Rao said the jatara had concluded peacefully. Devotees had not faced any inconvenience, he said pointing to the elaborate arrangements. Roughly, 1.20-1.30 crore devotees are estimated to have thronged Medaram for the biennial tribal festival this year.
Festive atmosphere to continue for a week
Though the Jatara ended officially on Saturday, people keep arriving for darshan for over a week. Traders and other service providers remain and the festive atmosphere continues to prevail. However, the devotees who set up temporary shelters near the temple, are slowly leaving to their native places