Hyderabad/Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced the setting up of a Central Tribal University in Mulugu district of Telangana, which goes to polls later this year.
The varsity will be named after revered tribal Goddesses ‘Sammakka and Sarakka’ and will cost Rs 900 crore. The Prime Minister announced the new university while addressing a public meeting in Mahbubnagar, where he also virtually launched infrastructure projects worth Rs 13, 500 crores.
What is the story of Sammakka and Sarakka?
Legend has it that Sammakka had miraculous powers. One story that is much told about is that during the 13th century, a troop from the Koya tribal community was returning from a trip when they saw a little girl playing with tigers. Amazed at her bravery, the head of the troop adopted her and named her Sammakka.
Sammakka later married the headman of a neighbouring tribal group and had a daughter, Sarakka. Both mother and daughter opposed the Kakatiya kings who forced the tribes to pay taxes. They fought bravely and reportedly lost their lives. The Koya community constructed a temple as a token of gratitude and since then the event of Sammakka Sarakka Jatara or Medaram Jatara is held biennially. The Jatara is the State Festival of Telangana.
The Jatara commemorates the fight of the mother and daughter with the then reigning Kakatiya rulers against the unjust law. The Jatara begins at Medaram in Tadvai Mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district. Medaram, a remote hamlet in Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, is a part of the dense Dandakaranya forest range, and it is believed that the Goddesses of the tribals visit them during the Jatara.
How is it second only to Kumbh in numbers?
It is said that an estimated 1 crore people gathered in 2018. Thus it can be easily said that it attracts the largest gathering of devotees after Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana Government officials say.
The numbers of only increased in the last few years. In 2008, nearly 80 lakh people were estimated to have attended the festival while in recent times the gathering is roughly averages 1 crore.
Who celebrate the festival?
The Jatara was initially celebrated mostly by the Koya tribals. But over the years, devotees from many other tribes also started celebrating the festivals. Even non-tribals come here in huge numbers.
The devotees come from states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and parts of Jharkhand. They offer gold, and jaggery (of a quantity equal to their weight to the Goddesses). They take holy bath in Jampanna Vagu (stream), a tributary of River Godavari. Jampanna is said to be the tribal warrior and son of Sammakka.
Officials said, till 1998, the only way to reach Medaram was by a bullock cart. But in 1998, after the State government declared the centuries-old festival as official, a motorable road was laid.
Mind-boggling arrangements
Parking places are made to accommodate over 3.5 lakh vehicles and 4,000 TSRTC buses. As many as 10,000 police personnel are deployed for the smooth conduct of the festival even as nearly 400 CCTVs monitor the huge crowds. Police check posts are set up at every 2km-4 km.
