Sammakka Saralamma Jatara (also Sammakka Sarakka Jatara and Medaram Jatara) is a festival to honour the Hindu Tribal goddesses, celebrated in the state of Telangana, India. This Jatara is known for witnessing one of the largest people gatherings in the world. People offer Bangaram (jaggery) :
The Jatara begins at Medaram in Tadvai Mandala in Mulugu district. The rituals related to the Goddesses are entirely conducted by the Koya Tribe priests, in accordance with Koya customs and traditions.
Until 1955, about 2,000 people used to visit Medaram, of which the majority 1,500 belonging to the Koya tribe.But now a large number of non-Koya people(1.3 crore) visits Medaram and the Koya people comprises only 2% of the total worshippers.
Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in the Deccan.
Once declared a national festival, the jatara can be considered for 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity' tag of UNESCO. Jatara celebrated during the time the goddesses (Sammakka and Saralamma) of the tribals are believed to visit them. It is believed that after Kumbha Mela, the Sammakka Saralamma Jatara attracts the largest number of devotees in the country.
It commemorates the fight of a mother and daughter," Sammakka and Saralamma" (also known as Sarakka), with the reigning rulers against an unjust law.
There are many legends about the miraculous powers of Sammakka. According to a 13th-century tribal legend, some tribal leaders on a hunt found a newborn girl (Sammakka) enveloped in light playing amidst tigers. They took her to the tribal chief, who adopted and raised her as a leader. She later became the savior of the tribals of the region.
She was married to Pagididda Raju, the tribal chief of the Koyas. The Kakatiyas (who ruled the region with its headquarters in Warangal City between 1000 AD and 1380 AD). Sammakka had two daughters and one son, Sarakka, Nagulamma, and Jampanna. King Prataprudra of the Kakatiyas imposed taxes on the Koya Tribe, which they could not pay.
As a result, King Prataprudra declared war on the Koya Tribe. Pagididda Raju was killed in the ensuing battle forcing the grief-ridden Sammakka to pick up the fight with her daughter Saralamma, her son Jampanna and her son-in-law Govinda Raju. Sammakka had almost won when Saralamma died in the battle. Jampanna was mortally wounded and fell bleeding into Sampangi vaagu (stream).
Legend has it that the stream turned red from the blood, and the vaagu was renamed "Jampanna Vaagu" in honor of Jampanna's sacrifice. Distraught, Sammakka retired to a hill called Chilakala Gutta and turned into a vermilion jar (Kumkum Bharani). To this day, the Koya tribe and devotees believe that Sammakka and Saralamma are manifestations of Adi Parashakti sent to protect them.
The jatara is a celebration to honor this sacrifice. The vermilion jar is brought to Medaram and washed in Jampanna Vaagu, followed by an offering of Jaggery to Sammakka and Saralamma