Medaram Jatara: The Biggest Tribal Jatara in Asia

Medaram Jatara, considered to be the biggest among the Tribal jataras in Asia, is a religious festival celebrated once in two years at Medaram village in Tadwai mandal of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh.

Medaram jatara begins on the fullmoon day or suddha poornima day of the Magha masam. This year, 2012, the jatara will be celebrated from 8 to 10 February. On 8th, the tribal deity Saralamma would be brought from Kannepoyinapalle village to the jatara venue. the next day another deity Sammakka, considered to be mother of Saralamma, will be brought from the adjoining Chilakalagutta. The deities after brought to the venue, are traditionally installed on a platform under a tree, called 'Gadde'.

Animal sacrifice is a common phenominon at the jatara, though coconut and jaggery are the main offerings to the deities. Some of the devotees who vowed to offer 'Niluvetthu Bangaram' meaning gold weighing equivalent to their personal weight, offer same weight of jaggery as a substitute for the gold. Lakhs of people from Andhra Pradesh as well as the neighbouring states visit this tiny forest village Medaram during the jatara. The inflow of people starts a week ahead of the jatara day. Many temporary shops come up around the gadde. Temporary dwellings like tents are seen abundantly all around the venue.

Shiva Sathi, Laxmi Devara and Pabba are the age old traditional rituals still practiced in the jatara. Shiva Sathi women are considered to be possessed by the Goddess. When these women go into trance, childless women flock to them to seek blessings for children. This blessing process is called 'Pabba'. Young unmarried girls too seek blessings of the Goddess to get a good husband.   

Medaram jatara is a state festival of Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister represents the state government in the jatara. The government makes elaborate arrangements for the jatara. Security arrangements are also tightened during the jatara, as Medaram falls under the Maoist infested area.

This year, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is visiting the jatara a week ahead today (01-02-12). Tirupathi MLA Chiranjeevi is also visiting along with the CM accompanied by ministers Ponnala Laxmaiah, Basavaraj Saraiah, Smt. DK Aruna and several others.

Video Source: etv2india