Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara
Context: Telangana is preparing for the biennial Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara beginning 28 January 2026, alongside a large-scale redevelopment of the sacred precinct at Medaram.
About Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara:
What it is?
- A biennial tribal spiritual festival honouring Sammakka and Saralamma, revered as ancestral goddesses of the Koya Adivasi community.
- Recognised as Asia’s largest tribal festival and one of the largest human congregations in the world.
Held in:
- Celebrated at Medaram village in Mulugu district, Telangana, located inside the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Dandakaranya forest belt.
- Conducted during the full moon of the Hindu month of Magh.
Origin:
- Rooted in Koya tribal history and legend, centred on Sammakka, a forest-born woman adopted by tribals, and her daughter Saralamma.
- According to tradition, they resisted the Kakatiya rulers’ tax oppression, attained martyrdom, and are remembered as symbols of tribal resistance and sacrifice.
- The deities are not worshipped permanently in temples; instead, they are symbolically brought from the forest to stay with the people for a few sacred days.
Key features:
- Rituals are conducted exclusively by Koya tribal priests, following indigenous customs.
- Devotees offer “Bangaram” (jaggery) instead of gold or money, symbolising equality and agrarian life.
- Worship centres around sacred trees, bamboo totems, flags (dalgudda) and clan symbols rather than idols.
- Attracts over one crore devotees, second only to the Kumbh Mela in scale within India.
- The festival space has recently expanded with arches, platforms and granite flooring to manage massive crowds.
Significance:
- Represents tribal identity, collective memory and resistance against historical injustice.
- Preserves an animistic, kinship-based belief system, where deities are treated as family members.