MULUGU: On the third day of the Medaram Jatara, a large number of devotees offered prayers to the tribal deities of Sammakka-Saralamma. Friday, being considered an auspicious day, attracts more devotees than other days of the jatara.
After taking a holy dip at Jampanna Vagu, devotees including ‘Shivasathulu’, dressed in traditional attire, arrived at the temple by beating drums. They offered ‘Vodi Biyyam’ (sacred rice), jaggery and sarees to the deities at the altars.
On the fourth day and the final day of the jatara on Saturday, the tribal priests take part in the Vanapravesham ritual (returning to the forest). The Sammakka deity is taken back to a temple in Chilukalagutta forest, and Saralamma is taken back to Kannepally village, marking the conclusion of Medaram Jatara.
Meanwhile, sources said that the devotees are facing inconvenience due to the presence of vehicles of VVIPs and VIPs that were allowed up to the ITDA guesthouse and the temple area. Devotees experienced delays in hours in the queue lines for darshan.