Sammakka Saralamma Medaram Jathara, The Kumbh Mela Of Telangana

Medaram: The four - day Sammakka Saralamma Jatara popularly known as
the Medaram Jatara kicked off today in the Eturnagaram forest of Jayashankar Bhupalapalli district amidst much pomp and fervor. Termed as Asia's biggest tribal festival,
the fair will witness over 10 million tribal people gather at one place starting
today. In fact millions have already thronged the place, setting the
mood for the much awaited carnival. There is likely to be a huge rush.

The Telangana government, which is promoting this biennial tribal festival on a large scale, has dubbed Medaram Jatara the Kumbh Mela of the state. The district administration has made all arrangements for the festival to go on smoothly.
Security has been tightened and a huge number of teams deployed at the venue
to help and guide visitors.

The administration is providing Wi-fi access for free and distributing over 20 lakhs of water packets. With huge numbers of tribal people from Telanagana, Karnataka, Maharastra, Chattisgarh and Odisha expected to visit the shrine, to manage the crowd over the next four days, the police are using drone cameras apart from having deployed 10,000 personnel around Medaram. It is said the queues will stretch to the length of six kilometers with 2 lakh devotees present at the main shrine at any given point of time. The administration has clearly mentioned that there will
be no VIP darshans today and tomorrow. They will be allowed only
between February 2 and 3.

Overall, TSRTC is plying 4200 buses from different places to Medaram. The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) will be providing tents for the devotees. It is said the private parties are charging anywhere between Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 per tent per day. The administration has also set up 56 medical camps across the place and enroute to the shrine.

Jampanna Vaagu which is a must - visit place for all the devotees has been developed and bathing ghats have been established to the length of 3 kilometers and over 5000 showers have been installed near the ghats. Permanent toilet complexes have also been built around the Jampanna Vaagu. But the attraction of the Jatara would be the newly established Tribal Museum and amphitheater in Medaram.

Also read: TSRTC Special Buses To Medaram Jatara Could Net 40 Cr