How many of us know that the world's largest tribal gathering is happening as we speak in the forests just north of Warangal at Medaram? Estimates are, the numbers will easily cross a crore or two. The event happens every two years in a village by name Medaram some 100 km
North East of Warangal. So, what's it all about? It's a tribal commemoration of their warrior leader Sammmakka and the stiff fight she put along with her family against the then ruling dispensation - the Kakatiyas.
The story goes thus. When some tribals went hunting, they saw a small girl in the forest guarded by tigers. They treated her an incarnation of the forest goddess, took her with them and their chief Medaraju adopted her. Medaraju was the ruler of Polavasa tract(Jagtial).
She was brought up as the daughter of the chief and the village saw abundance of everything after she came. She was named Sammakka. When she came to be of marriageable age, Sammakka was married off to Medaraju's nephew Padigiddaraju who ruled Medaram area.
The couple had three children - Saralamma, Nagulamma and Jampanna. It happened that Medaraju rebelled against the Kakatiyas and fled to his son-in-law, who was a Kakatiya vassal. Added to this, there was a famine in the area due to which Padigiddaraju wasn't able to pay the tax.
Both the events happening at the same time means Kakatiyas invaded the territory to snuff out a general insurrection. Some accounts say Yugandhara(Nagaya Ganna and later, Malik Maqbul), the Prime Minister of Prataparudra and the Governor of Warangal led the army in person.
Clearly, it was an uneven fight. The first stand was near Laknavaram Lake. Medaraju, Padigiddaraju, Saralamma and her husband Govindaraju and Nagulamma perished in the fight there. Jampanna was holding Sampenga Vagu. He too died fighting, falling into the brook.
The brook turned red with blood and from then on, it became famous as Jampanna Vagu. Sammaka was guarding the hamlet. Everything is lost and she entered the fight. The Kakatiya Armies were surprised at her valour and skill. In the middle of the fight, a soldier pierces her
with a spear from the back. She withdraws from the fight, goes north-east and disappears near Chilakala Gutta. People weren't able to find her or her body but they find a small box holding vermillion and bangles and pugmarks of the tiger which she was riding.
People believe that the box is the personification of Sammakka.
Sammakka before disappearing, cursed that Kakatiyas will perish for what they did - true to her word, Prataparudra had to face invasions from Muslims and he committed suicide as a prisoner.
Sammakka before disappearing, cursed that Kakatiyas will perish for what they did - true to her word, Prataparudra had to face invasions from Muslims and he committed suicide as a prisoner.
Hearing about all this, Prataparudra calls off the fight, cancels the tax and ordered a commemoration ceremony every two years - the event happening on Magha Shukla Paurnami, the date of finding of Sammakka and her disappearance.
This is a four day event -
On the first day, Saralamma is brought from Kanneboyinapalli to the place of worship in Medaram.
On the second day, Sammakka is brought from Chilakala Gutta. Both of them are represented as bamboo sticks smeared with turmeric and vermilion.
On the first day, Saralamma is brought from Kanneboyinapalli to the place of worship in Medaram.
On the second day, Sammakka is brought from Chilakala Gutta. Both of them are represented as bamboo sticks smeared with turmeric and vermilion.
The third day is Magha Sulka Paurnami. Both Sammakka and Saralamma give audience to the pilgrims who bath in Jampanna Vagu.
On the fourth day, the Goddesses are taken back to their place of residence.
On the fourth day, the Goddesses are taken back to their place of residence.
