Telangana:Mega tribal festival begins at Medaram

In Telangana, Medaram, a discreet village in the deep forests of Tadvai, is abuzz with a large number of devotees who thronged there to take part in the Medaram Jatara, 4-day biennial Medaram Tribal Fair has begun in Mulugu district. The Tribal Festival is considered to be Asia’s largest tribal fair celebrated over four days every two years at Medaram village, which is about 250 kilometres from Hyderabad. As per legend, the festival commemorates the fight of Sammakka and Saralamma, against the oppression of Kakatiya rulers. Over one crore people are expected to congregate at the village to celebrate the valour of Adivasi icons Sammakka and Saralamma, who are considered to be protectors of the community. The fair, which Telangana state Government declared state festival, will culminate on February19. Once in two years, the tribals offer prayers at the bamboo grove and bring back a casket of vermillion and bamboo sticks wrapped in red cloth, symbolising the return of Sammakka and Saralamma.

During the festivities, the tribals offer jaggery equal to their own weight as a replacement of gold. Apart from the participation of tribals from across the country in huge numbers, the fair also attracts non-Adivasis. The state government has spent over 360 crore rupees in the arrangements for the biennial fair. The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned over two crore rupees for Medaram Jatara. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has set up a temporary bus stand at Medaram village and will operate nearly 4 thousand buses from different parts of the state.The local authorities and the police have made arrangements like drinking water, sanitation, parking grounds, traffic diversions and police outposts while about 9 thousand policemen have been deployed on the ground to ensure law and order and security for VVIP guests. About 4 hundred CCTV cameras and two drone cameras are monitoring crowds.