News Correspondent
Mulugu District | December 25 :
The Telangana state government has begun massive preparations to organize the world-famous Medaram Sammakka–Saralamma Maha Jathara in an unprecedented grand manner. Scheduled to be held from January 28 to January 31, the biennial tribal festival is expected to witness an overwhelming turnout of more than one crore devotees from Telangana and neighboring states.
This year’s Medaram Maha Jathara is set to be special in many ways. For the first time in history, the government has focused not only on temporary arrangements but also on permanent infrastructure development, ensuring long-term benefits for pilgrims visiting the sacred forest shrine in Mulugu district.
Historic ₹251 Crore Development Push
In a landmark initiative, the Telangana government has sanctioned a massive ₹251 crore development package exclusively for Medaram. These funds are being utilized for road widening, pilgrim amenities, drinking water facilities, sanitation systems, electricity supply, security infrastructure, and permanent constructions.
A major highlight of this initiative is the expansion and beautification of the sacred altars of forest goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma. Recognizing the spiritual significance of the shrine, the government has allocated ₹101 crore solely for altar expansion works.
Ministers Inspect Arrangements
State Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Seethakka visited Medaram on Tuesday evening. The ministers first offered prayers to Sammakka and Saralamma and later inspected the ongoing development works and festival arrangements.
During the inspection, they interacted with officials and issued directions to ensure smooth crowd management, adequate drinking water supply, sanitation, medical facilities, and emergency services. Special emphasis was laid on environmental protection due to Medaram’s forest location.
Devotee Rush Intensifies Ahead of Jathara
Even with the Maha Jathara still a month away, Medaram has been witnessing a steady influx of devotees. Thousands have been arriving daily over the past month to have darshan of Sammakka and Saralamma, creating a vibrant spiritual atmosphere in and around the shrine.
Heavy Rush at Vemulawada Subsidiary Temples
The Sammakka–Saralamma Ammavari Jathara has also resulted in a huge rush of devotees at Vemulawada, particularly at the Sri Bheemeswara Temple and Sri Baddi Pochamma Temple, which are subsidiary temples of Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy Temple.
Temple Executive Officer L. Rama Devi stated that special arrangements have been made to ensure smooth darshan for devotees, including additional staff deployment and crowd control measures.
Temporary Suspension of Darshan
Meanwhile, Medaram temple authorities have issued an important alert to devotees. The Priests’ Association announced that darshan of Sammakka and Saralamma will be temporarily suspended on Wednesday.
According to the association, the decision was taken due to special spiritual rituals and ongoing development works within the temple premises. Devotees have been requested to cooperate with the administration.
Tradition Meets Development
The Medaram Sammakka–Saralamma Maha Jathara symbolizes deep-rooted tribal traditions, devotion, and faith. With large-scale development works underway while preserving age-old customs, this year’s Jathara is expected to be a perfect blend of spirituality and modern infrastructure.
As the sacred dates approach, Medaram is all set to welcome millions of devotees, shining brighter than ever in devotion and celebration.
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