WARANGAL: Tribal devotees washed the road through which, according to belief, Sammakka made her way towards Medaram from Chilakalagutta, about 2 km from Medaram. They put colourful rangoli on the roads and sacrificed hens and goats to the ‘most ferocious and powerful’ tribal deity.
The roads turned red with blood from the sacrificed animals as the tribals invited the goddess to Medaram.
Lakhs awaited the moment goddess Sammakka was brought down from the Chilakalagutta hillock where tribal priests performed prayers.
District collector R.V. Karnan, Superintendent of Police R. Bhaaskaran and other officials waited down the hillock. Lakhs of devotees stood outside the gates of the Chilakalagutta complex.
As the priests brought down the deity down the hillock, Mr Bhaaskaran fired 10 shots into the air from an AK-47 as an offering to the deity. On hearing the shots, the waiting crowd burst into a sudden roar. The mood at Medaram and its surroundings reached its peak as devotees in the queues chanted Sammakka’s name and moved forward with enthusiasm. The jatara day got filled with energy as the most revered deity of the tribals took her place at the temple altar.
Women danced in a trance as the procession moved through the streets of Medaram.
After going through the streets, the goddess was finally taken to the Medaram temple alongside her mother Saralamma by night. Saturday is the most auspicious day of the jatara with both the deities, Sammakka and Saralamma, adorning the altars at the temple.
