Sammakka's Descent Sparks Devotion at Medaram Maha Jatara
Sammakka's Descent Sparks Devotion at Medaram Maha Jatara
Thousands crowd Medaram as Sammakka arrives in a vermilion casket, marking a peak moment of the four-day Maha Jatara and a keep-to-tradition festival.
Tens of thousands of devotees packed the stretch from Chilakalagutta hillock to the Medaram shrine on Thursday evening to witness the arrival of Mother Sammakka in the vermilion casket carried by a team of Koya priests led by Kokkera Krishnaiah. After performing traditional secret rituals in line with Koya tribal customs, the priests descended from the hillock around 6.55 p.m. as the procession moved toward the shrine.
In a long-standing tradition dating to 1996, the Mulugu Superintendent of Police Sudhir R. Kekan fired a few rounds into the air from an AK-47 assault rifle as a mark of respect to the tribal deity before Sammakka’s arrival at the shrine. Ministers Danasari Anasuya Seethakka and Adluri Laxman Kumar, District Collector T.S. Divakara, and other senior officials and volunteers were present during the event, which marks one of the most significant moments of the four-day biennial Sammakka–Saralamma Maha Jatara.
The 2.5-km stretch leading to the shrine was lined with devotees, with many jostling for a glimpse of the ceremonial procession. The festival, which commenced on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) with the arrival of Saralamma at the shrine, is set to reach its peak on January 29th night when Mother Sammakka is scheduled to arrive in the vermilion casket from Chilakalagutta.
Officials emphasized safety and logistics as the community prepares for the peak night, with emphasis on preserving traditions while managing the huge turnout for this culturally significant event in the region.
The gathering is a vivid display of devotion and community spirit, drawing people from across the region to participate in a ritual that holds deep meaning for the Koya tribe and Telangana’s cultural landscape.
