The Hindu : Medaram jatara: day 2 ritual draws heavy crowd

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 06, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

Medaram jatara: day 2 ritual draws heavy crowd

By N. Rahul

MEDARAM (WARANGAL DT.), FEB. 5. Teeming millions swarmed the temple of legendary tribal goddesses Samakka-Sarakka on the second day, the most significant, of the four-day tribal fair observed in their memory biennially at this village.

People believe that Samakka, mother of Sarakka, would ascend her pedestal at the temple complex during the day for which a ritual was conducted by tribal priests bringing an unidentified item symbolising her from the dense forest surrounding the village. The moment the article was placed near the log of wood, a totemic symbol of Sammakka, on the pedestal there were cheers all over.

The caravan of faith moved ahead with people carrying loads and wailing children on their heads towards Jampanna vagu to take a holy dip before moving to the temple. They plodded along most of the time in argument with others who jostled in the thick file of crowds heading to the stream. A large number of them even held aloft sticks tied with an identifiable object to move with their relatives.

Kiosks selling eatables and vendors selling fowls and goats created unhygienic conditions in the surroundings. A number of belt shops (illegal liquor outlets) sprung up in addition to the licensed liquor shops. Filth and squalor abounded near the eating-places.

There were camps far and wide. People camped under makeshift accommodation using their vehicles, canvas, tents and even saris. By one estimate they were spread around a radius of seven km from the temple.

Bullock-carts were the most popular mode of transport of the pilgrims although tractors were also predominantly used. People topped them with canvas for shelter. The crowds turned up from as far as Gadchiroli in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. A pilgrim, Bhim Rao from Iri in Gadchiroli, said his family was worshipping at the temple out of firm belief that it would do them good. Puppala Mallaiah of Madded in Chhattisgarh said his wife invoked the form of Sammakka and went into trance.

There were stalls doing commercial activity of all kinds and even gadgets and electrical motors were sold. A group was promoting nicotine free cigarettes too!

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