Festival
of thanksgiving to Folk Goddess's
Medaram
Jan 22: The four-day tribal jamboree organized by Telangana government as part
of its tribal code to promote worshipping of trees, forests and preserve tribal
culture and traditions from extinction will be rolled out as Sammakka and
Sarlakka Jatra from Jan31-Feb-4.
Lakhs of tribal men and women come on bullock carts or walk through deep jungles from far and away to redeem their vows to protect trees of five states.As in the Avatar film, a festive atmosphere is dawning on the 50 sq km along the Mulugu -Eturnagaram highway.Entire families with women and children come in their best attires and full of devotion to the tribal queens who had made their community and village popular, spend few days at jatara meeting all relatives.They make merriment with tribal brewed liquor -ippa Sara, and tons of meat -chicken, goats,and,buffaloes.
The jatara is also an occasion for the tribal families to firm up betrothals, tribal issues of land, health, drought, wild animals, family or village disputes as they sit with govt officials, elders, doctors.The jatara gives them an opportunity to see the outside world -modern world-motor cars, cell phones and also a variety of food, trinkets, bangles, household goods, clothes and also artificial ornaments.
Some Of The New Initiatives Launched By The Government For Tribal And devotees benefit areas below.
Lakhs of tribal men and women come on bullock carts or walk through deep jungles from far and away to redeem their vows to protect trees of five states.As in the Avatar film, a festive atmosphere is dawning on the 50 sq km along the Mulugu -Eturnagaram highway.Entire families with women and children come in their best attires and full of devotion to the tribal queens who had made their community and village popular, spend few days at jatara meeting all relatives.They make merriment with tribal brewed liquor -ippa Sara, and tons of meat -chicken, goats,and,buffaloes.
The jatara is also an occasion for the tribal families to firm up betrothals, tribal issues of land, health, drought, wild animals, family or village disputes as they sit with govt officials, elders, doctors.The jatara gives them an opportunity to see the outside world -modern world-motor cars, cell phones and also a variety of food, trinkets, bangles, household goods, clothes and also artificial ornaments.
Some Of The New Initiatives Launched By The Government For Tribal And devotees benefit areas below.
·
A
folk museum and an amphitheatre built at Medaram for display of folk arts daily
by over 300 artists. They perform all tribal dances like Dimsa, Gussadi etc.The
museum will showcase all tribal instruments, bow and arrows, axes and
traditional artifacts of all the nine to 12 sects of Koya, Gond, and Konda
Reddy tribes.
·
Widespread
awareness campaign on the social media-Facebook, Twitter, Instagram on the
focus of Jatara to preserve and promote fauna and flora of the forests and
respect and recognition of tribal lifestyle, traditions, and customs.
·
The
tourism department and the Tribal food court with a display of
environment-friendly non-vegetarian and vegetarian and green products.
Varieties of organic food, wild fruits and flowers would also be showcased by
the forest department
·
Creation
of livelihood options for tribals as part of Jatra – unique tribal homes on
rental for tribal lovers to spend time in deep forests in coordination with
AIRBNB –home stays concept. ' This is an opportunity for anthropologists,
researchers, and students to acclimatize with tribal lifestyle ' says Gautam
Deputy Collector.
·
Documentation
of the event. The govt plans to document in digital form and also text all the
tribal rituals and practices performed at the Jatara for future reference and
action.The entire preparations and arrangements made by government and
involvement of local organizations would also be documented.
·
Mobile
toilets: Over 5000 mobile toilets and dressing rooms are being set up at the
Medaram so that tribals and non-tribals desist from open defecation and increase
prospects of infectious diseases and epidemics.Youth and service organizations
were involved to keep them clean on a 24x7 basis 5000 water taps: To cater to
the drinking water needs of the huge congregation over 5000 taps have been
set.Besides potable water is drained from 50 bore wells newly dug in the area
for the festival.We need more than 25 MLD of water for both drinking and other
uses on a daily basis says a senior district official.
·
2500
sanitary workers in 24x7 for cleaning Medaram; For the first time, Government
has focused on keeping the area clean even after the completion of the
festival. It has hired 2500 trained sanitary workers to clean the surrounding
areas of premises of worship and also the entire region of habitation.
·
Bathing
ghats at holy Jampanna vagu.A huge bathing ghat has been built at the Jampanna
vagu where devotees first take a dip before they go for darshan and worship at
Gadde, a platform where the tribal goddess's Sammakka and Sarlakka are kept
·
4500
RTC buses to Medaram every day.Nearly 4500 buses will be operated from all five
routes to Medaram from Jan.28th onwards. Bus junctions have been separately
marked so that devotees from all Telangana can pick their bus easily. The plan
is to ensure at least one bus every 10 minutes in all directions will leave
Medaram, says an RTC official of Warangal.
·
Security
by 10,000 policemen and CCTV: Since Medaram is in thick forests and extremist
infested with access to the dandakarayna region heavy bandobust is made for the
protection of devotees and also the VVIPs. Over 10,000 police will guard the
26-50km region around Medaram and also all roads - both blacktopped and kaccha
forest tracks and footwalks.All around the critical areas of Jatra special CCTV
network is also organized for both direction of traffic and also for spotting
movement of unwanted anti-socials and suspected extremists. ' We have
responsibility for VIP security as the area is very close to Chhattisgarh, the
epicenter of Maoists " says a senior police official.
·
Two
special helipads for VIPS and also a Common man; A special helipad is being
organized for VIPS and also another for common devotees.The Tumbi aviation is
putting up chartered chopper rides from Warangal and also for a 10-minute
aerial view of the Medaram jatara
·
Tribals
are given priority in auctioning of bids for tonsuring, the sale of coconuts,
jaggery etc, parking lots, stalls etc.: The entire region around Medaram is
decked up with parking lots to facilitate bullock carts, tractors, jeeps,
buses, cards and other as devotees come on five routes too." We anticipate
more than 100,000 vehicles of all sorts and adequate parking lots created by
clearing government lands and renting private lands and providing them with
electricity, water and toilets ' says an official of I & PR.
·
The
tourism department has also showcased the tourist spots of the region so that
devotees after darshan at Medaram could go around the Lakkavaram lake, Tadvai
wildlife sanctuary, other temples and picturesque places in and around the
Warangal, Jai Shankar Bhopalapally districts.
In all the allotments of sales, services and auctioning for tonsuring, parking, the sale of jaggery, birds and also other goods tribals were given a major share. 'Govt has decided that it was the tribal festival, and hence they should get maximum support.We only support or facilitate them ' says the Chief Minister Sri. K ChandrasekharRao.
After the formation of Telangana the Sammakka Saralakka jatra is organized in a big way with full government and peoples support and already regarded as the state festival and efforts are afoot to get the tag of National festival , It is popularly believed as a festival of thanking giving by tribals and non-tribals of the region to the tribal queens -Sammakka and Sarlakka - hailed as folk goddesses by tribals, for the prosperity, health, and peace - bestowed by them folk goddesses .
-Press note
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