Medaram: The biennial tribal festival, Medaram Jatara, commenced on Wednesday with the arrival of the tribal deity, Saralamma, from Kannapelly to the sacred platform at Medaram. Her arrival marked the beginning of the four-day jatara. Amid the chants by tribal priests, the deities Pagididdaraju and Govindaraju had already been ceremonially installed on their respective gaddelu (sacred platforms). While Govindaraju was brought from Kondai, Pagididdaraju arrived from Ponugonda village in Mahabubabad district.The chief priest of Sarlamma, Kaka Saraiaha, along with others, performed rituals for the deity at her gadde. After the completion of the rituals, the tribal chief priest covered the deity’s face on the platform with a red cloth. Earlier in the day, tribal welfare minister Adluri Laxman Kumar, panchayat raj Minister Danasari Anasuya alias Seethakka, revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Mulugu collector Divakara TS, and SP Sudhir Ramnath Kekan performed special rituals for Saralamma at the Kannepally village. Following the rituals, tribal priests performed puja and proceeded to Medaram to install the goddess on her gadde.Thousands of pilgrims waited in line for the arrival of Saralamma. Following her arrival, the crowd at Jampanna Vagu and the platforms for darshan swelled. Pilgrims waited outside the temple at Kannepally village to welcome the goddess with traditional dances and drumbeats as she was escorted to her gadde.
