Mulugu: The secretary of the Jayashankar, Mulugu, Warangal, and Peddapally (JMWP) Division Committee of the CPI-Maoist, Venkatesh, has released a letter demanding that the state government make arrangements in full accordance with Adivasi (tribal) customs for the Sammakka Saralamma Jathara (Medaram Jatara) scheduled from February 21 to 24.
In the letter, Maoists warned against distributing anything other than jaggery, like laddu or pulihora, to devotees as prasadam at Medaram.
They also demanded the government carry out special measures immediately after the end of the festival, follow cleanliness standards, maintain hygiene, and compensate the farmers who left their crops to conduct Jatara.
Medaram Jatara, also known as Sammakka-Sarakka Jatara, is Asia’s biggest tribal fair, in Telangana’s Mulugu district. Devotees belonging to different states and speaking different languages throng the forests to pay obeisance to tribal goddesses. The unique rituals include devotees offering jaggery to the deities.
Adivasis living in forest fringe habitations in several states along the river Godavari congregate once in two years to celebrate the valour of legendary warriors Sammakka and Sarakka.
The tribals treat them as goddesses and hail their bravery in trying to protect them. Belonging to the Koya tribe, the mother-daughter duo died while fighting against the Kakatiya empire about eight centuries ago.
Devotees, both tribal and non-tribal, from different parts of Telangana and other states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka participate in the four-day fair.
