A sacrifice immortalised

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

The Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara, hosted by the village of Medaram in Telangana’s Mulugu district, is celebrated biennially as the nation’s largest tribal fair, commemorating the valour of tribal warriors who defended their people’s rights.

About the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara:

Originating from a 12th-century legend, it tells the story of Sammakka, found as a baby by the tribal chieftain Medaraju and later married to Pagidigidda Raju.
The narrative unfolds with their resistance against the Kakatiya king’s tax demands during a drought, leading to a battle where Sammakka, despite losing her family, fought valiantly and is believed to have transformed into a goddess.
This fair, drawing around two crore attendees, is held on the full moon day of Magha (February), maintaining tribal customs and led by tribal priests.
Initially a Koya tribal gathering, it gained State festival status in 1998, symbolizing a vital preservation of tribal traditions and heritage beyond its religious significance.

Key facts about the festival:

Women carry bundles of jaggery, considered as precious as gold, to be offered to the deities at Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara.
Devotees take a holy dip in the Jampanna Vagu River, a tributary of River Godavari.
Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Telangana.
It is a festival with no Vedic or Brahmanic influence.

Source: TH