Warangal: Even though the main events of the largest tribal festival are only to begin on Wednesday, a large number of devotees started descending at Medaram on Sunday. The Medaram Jatara attracts millions of devotees, who offer prayers and invoke the blessings of Sammakka and Saralamma.
Given the heavy rush of devotees, officials have ensured water supply from all taps at Jampanna Vagu, where the devotees take a holy bath before proceeding to offer jaggery (generally matching their weight), which is considered as ‘bangaram’, to the presiding deities.
Meanwhile, many devotees alleged that there has been no monitoring on the prices of several commodities and daily essentials, including hens, coconuts, jaggery, water bottles and cool drinks at Medaram. They are being sold at exorbitant prices, they lamented.
Chicken was being sold Rs 280 a kg, while in retail shops, the price was only Rs 160 per kg; coconuts are being at Rs 50 as against Rs 20 and the price of one litre water bottle was Rs 50 when it is a mere Rs 20 everywhere else.
The price of jaggery is touching sky high. When it was being sold at Rs 40 to 80 per kg, depending on the variety, the merchants at Medaram were collecting Rs 120 to 150 per kg.
Some devotees regretted that many shops were selling items that were adulterated or were beyond the expiry date.
Meanwhile, panchayat raj minister D. Anasuya Seethakka visited Pagididdaraju temple situated at Penugondla of Gangaram village in Mahabubabad district and offered prayers.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that the state government has made elaborate arrangements to ensure that the jatara is a big success. She said that they had also increased queue lines at the temple and Jampanna vagu and the number of temporary bus stands at Medaram to cater to the heavy rush from February 21.
