MULUGU: The Manda Melige ritual was performed on Wednesday for the Sammakka-Saralamma deities ahead of the week-long Medaram jatara. Tribal Koya priests and their families began protection rituals with Raksha Puja to ward off bad luck, conducting ceremonies known as ‘Manda Melige’ on the outskirts of Medaram village.
All tribal priests of Sammakka-Saralamma, Govindaraju, Pagididdaraju, Pochamma, Bodrai and Potaraju observed the ‘jagaram’ from 11 pm to 4 am at the altars, during which pilgrims were not allowed on the deity platforms.
Temples of the tribal deities Sammakka, Saralamma, Pagididdaraju and Govindaraju were cleaned and decorated as part of the Manda Melige ritual. Priests performed rituals at the altars, sang traditional songs and beat drums, before completing the ‘jagaram’ by tying the ‘raksha toranam’ along the village ‘polimera’ (borders).
The priests believe the ‘toranam’ protects lakhs of pilgrims from calamities, diseases and misfortune. After pouring kumkum and turmeric-mixed water at the ‘polimera’, the ‘toranam’ was tied with black hens and mango leaves.
The ritual began with temple purification at Kannepally, Punugandla, Kondai and Medaram, where tribal priests observed the ‘jagaram’ from 11 pm to 4 am at the altars, during which pilgrims were not allowed on the deity platforms. On January 28, Saralamma will be brought to her altar at Medaram, marking the commencement of the jatara.