Medaram Jatara Draws Crowds as Festival Nears Conclusion

The Medaram Jatara, a renowned tribal festival in Telangana, is set to conclude today. However, the festival has been marked by unprecedented crowds, with devotees gathering at the gaddas as Sammakka and Saralamma arrived. After taking holy dips in the Jampanna stream, millions of worshippers offered offerings of gold and jaggery to the goddesses at the gaddas.

On Friday alone, an estimated five million devotees visited the site. The arrival of Pagidda Raju, Govinda Raju, and two mothers on the gaddas led to such a massive congregation that even if the entire forest was filled with sand, passage would have been impossible. This caused a severe traffic jam on the Tadvai-Medaram road, with vehicles halted for about eight kilometres from Tadvai to Medaram. Participants who had attended the festival for three days began returning from Saturday.

Chaos and Congestion at Medaram

Devotees who visited Sakkama-Saralamma on Friday faced difficulties returning, as RTC buses were insufficient. Many waited at the bus stands overnight, expressing frustration over the lack of transport. In response, RTC officials are dispatching additional buses to manage the crowds.

On Thursday night around 10 pm, Sammakka Thalli appeared at the gaddhe, attracting a large crowd. The event led to a minor stampede among both VIP and general devotees, especially near the TTD building, Jampanna Vagu, and RTC junction. Power outages twice during the night added to the inconvenience, particularly for families with children and the elderly. Meanwhile, Minister Adluri Lakshman's convoy was stuck amid the throngs, causing further irritation among devotees who were unhappy about VIP vehicles passing through the busy area.

Festival Closure

The Medaram Mahajatara, which began on 28th January, is scheduled to conclude today. On Wednesday, deities Saralamma from Kannepalli, Pagiddidda Raju from Poonugondla in Gangaram Mandal, and Govindaraju from Kondayi in Eturunagaram Mandal reached the gaddas. The following day, Sammakkathalli was installed on the main gaddas from Chilukalugutta. On Friday, four deities appeared to the devotees, who paid their respects before the deities returned to the forest, marking the end of the festival today.