MULUGU: The historic four-day tribal festival Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara began in Medaram village, Mulugu district, on Wednesday.The Medaram temple was decorated with garlands made out of mango leaves. Tribal priests and their women, accompanied by a group of men blowing horns and beating drums, heralded the beginning of the festivities of the historic Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara.
The festival began with the idol of tribal folk goddess Saralamma being brought to Medaram in the form of ‘Kumkum Bharane’ (sindhur casket) from her temple in Kannepalli village, four kilometres from Medaram. Devotees were outside the temple and welcomed the deities with the dances and traditional drumbeats. A group of tribal priests and their family members invoked the goddess upon them. A group of priests performed rituals at the Sarakka temple. They then walked to Medaram, with the chief priest Kaka Saraih carrying a bamboo stick covered with a red cloth, denoting the deity, and reached the altar at the temple at 9 pm.
As many as 70 police personnel were deployed with the ropes to protect the priests from the devotees. The devotees believe that the priests are possessed by the goddess and try to touch them to seek blessing. On the first day of the jatara, the tribal priests also brought the idol of Pagididdaraju, the husband of goddess Sammakka, to Medaram from Punugondla in Mahabubabad. Decorated in the form of a ‘Pagida’, he is treated as the groom ready for the wedding. The priests belonging to Penuka family carry Pagididdaraju and walk 60 kilometres. Thousands of devotees took the holy dip at the Jampanna vagu.Traders sell jaggery in black market; excise officials deny
Taking advantage of the Sammakka-Saralamma jatara, where devotees offer goddesses jaggery in large quantities, some traders are allegedly importing jaggery from other states and selling it in black to illicit liquor makers in the erstwhile Khammam district.
However, excise officials have ruled out the possibility of jaggery sale in the black market.Bhadradrikothagudem excise superintendent C Narasimha Reddy said, “We are monitoring traders and asking about the daily jaggery sales and purchases.’’
Priests also decorate Pagididdaraju idol
On the first day of the jatara, the tribal priests also brought the idol of Pagididdaraju, the husband of goddess Sammakka, to Medaram from Punugondla in Mahabubabad. Decorated in the form of a ‘Pagida’, he is treated as the groom ready for the wedding.
Priests given protection
Around 70 police personnel were deployed with ropes to protect the priests from the devotees. Mulugu district SP SSG Patil and Collector in charge RV Karnan were overseeing the proceedings of the festival. Thousands of devotees took the holy dip at the Jampanna Vagu