The four-day biennial Medaram jatara formally ended on Saturday with the symbolic return of the Adivasi deities to forest (known as ‘vanapravesham’ in local parlance) thereby bringing to a close an incident free event.
However, the Medaram temple, which according to government estimate attracted more than 80 lakh pilgrims during the jatara days, would continue to draw crowds for one more week.
Led by 16 tribal priests (Vaddes), the return procession of the four Adivasi deities Samakka, Sarala-mma, Pagididaraju and Govindarajulu took off at 6.10 pm Saturday from the altar of Medaram main te-mple complex towards fo-ur different destinations.
While the Adivasi deity Samakka left for her abode in Chilakulagutta hillock by six Vaddes, six other tribal priests carried Sar-alamma towards her ance-stral Kannepalli village, three kms from Medaram.
Their husbands, namely Pagididaraju and Govind-arajulu, were carried by two tribal priests each and left for their ancestral places in Ponugundla village in Kottaguda mandal (60 kms from Medaram) and Kondai village in Tadwai (14 kms from Medaram) on foot.
Earlier, the district collector, Mr Rahul Bojja, expressed happiness over the successful conduct of the Medaram jatara, which he termed as completely ‘free of any untoward incidents’ barring a few minor injuries to devotees and police personnel.
In order to preserve the sanctity of Medaram fair, Mr Rahul Bojja also announced a plan of planting 20 lakh saplings in and around Medaram starting monsoon season in view of the heavy deforestation witnessed here. During the jatara’s conclusion, the district administration also released a few interesting statistics. For instance, of the government’s estimated 80 lakh pilgrims visiting the fair, 14 lakh pilgrims is said to have used government-run RTC services to reach the Medaram site.
Other interesting statistics include the treatment of 2,800 cattle by the animal husbandry department at their jatara site run free health service camp from February 2. An estimated 5,000 bullock carts is said to have been used to come to Medaram site from different parts.
Similarly, the district women and child welfare department, which run three missing persons’ counter at the jatara site has reported 10,000 lost and found cases. It claimed to have reunited all the 10,000 lost people with their family members at the Jatara site.
Retired IAS officer Mr K. Prabhakar Reddy (former collector of Warangal), who had set up a record by constructing a 100-metre bridge over Jampannav-agu in 39 days in 1992 visited the temple on Saturday, offered prayers and took part in tula bharam.