Sammakka Saralamma Jatara or Medaram Jatara is a festival of honouring the goddesses celebrated in the state of Telangana, India. This Jatara is known for witnessing one of the largest people gatherings in the world. It is a biennial festival. It is believed that after Kumbha Mela, the Medaram jatara attracts the largest number of devotees in the country.it is very Asia's largest tribal festival which is celebrated in Telangana. Background Declared a State Festival in 1998, the Medaram Jathara has evolved from a humble tribal observance into one of the world’s most remarkable spiritual pilgrimages. It commemorates the fight of a mother and daughter, Sammakka and Saralamma, with the reigning rulers against an unjust law. It is celebrated in Medaram during the time the goddesses of the tribals is believed to visit them. There are many legends about the miraculous powers of Sammakka. According to a tribal story, in the 13th century, some tribal leaders who went for a hunting found a new born girl (Sammakka) emitting enormous light playing amidst tigers. She was taken to their habitation . The head of the tribe adopted her and brought up as a chieften. She later became the saviour of the tribals of the region. She was married to Pagididda Raju a feudatory tribal chief of Kakatiyas, who ruled the country of Andhra from Warangal City between 1000 AD and 1380 AD. She was blessed with 2 daughters and one son namely Sarakka, Nagulamma and Jampanna respectively. Both the mother and daughter protested the Kakatiya kings who forced the tribes to pay taxes. Both the women fought bravely and reportedly lost their lives. The Sammakka Saralamma temple in Warangal was beelieved to be built in the memory of two tribal women. The main deity(s) of the Sammakka Saralamma temple are two brave women who stood up for their community and its betterment. The Koya community constructed this temple as a token of gratitude. Annually an event called Sammakka Saralamma jatara is held which is considered as one of the largest tribal festivals of the world. The deities are brought from the forest to a spot for a period of 10-12 days when more than one crore devotees offer prayers and gift 'bangaram', which is pure jaggery to the deities. Jampanna vagu is a tributary to River Godavari. According to the history, Jampanna is the tribal warrior and the son of Tribal Goddess Sammakka. The Jampanna vagu took his name as he died in a battle fighting against Kakatiyan Army in that stream. The Jampanna vagu is still red in colour marked with the blood of Jampanna (Scientifically the red colour of the water is attributed to the soil composition). Tribal’s believe that taking a holy dip in the red water of Jampanna Vagu reminds them the sacrifice of their gods who save them and also induces courage into their souls. There is a bridge constructed on top of Jampanna Vagu, known as Jampanna Vagu bridge. Place of Medaram Jathara Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in the Deccan. During the Jathara, the otherwise quiet forest hamlet—home to fewer than 300 residents—transforms into a vast spiritual landscape, drawing over 1.5 to 1.75 crore devotees from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and other neighbouring states, all united in devotion to Sammakka and Saralamma Ammavaru.. Programme of the Medaram Jathara The Jatara begins at Medaram in Tadvai mandal in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district. The rituals related to the Goddesses are entirely conducted by Koya tribe priests, in accordance with Koya customs and traditions. In 2026, the jathara is to be held during 28 - 31 January 2026. To know more, visit https://medaramjathara.com/