Last Updated:
The Sammakka Saralamma temple, a revered tribal shrine, hosts the Maha Jatara every two years, attracting nearly three crore devotees
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy visited Medaram in Mulugu district.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has urged the Central Government to allocate funds for the Sammakka Saralamma temple and to accord National Festival status to the Medaram Maha Jatara, Asia’s largest tribal fair.
On Tuesday, the Chief Minister, accompanied by Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Seethakka, Konda Surekha, and Adluri Lakshman, visited Medaram in Mulugu district.
Recommended Stories
The Sammakka Saralamma temple, a revered tribal shrine, hosts the Maha Jatara every two years, attracting nearly three crore devotees. The next festival is scheduled from January 28 to 31, 2026, and the state government has begun making large-scale arrangements.
During his visit, Revanth Reddy offered Tulabharam with 68 kg of jaggery to Goddess Sammakka and Saralamma. He later held a review meeting with priests, officials, and tribal representatives on the progress of temple development works. Stressing the need for permanent infrastructure, he directed officials to construct stone structures that would endure natural calamities and serve as a testimony for future generations.
Setting a 100-day deadline, he urged local communities to participate actively in completing the works ahead of the festival.
The CM then addressed a public gathering and launched a sharp attack on the Centre. He questioned why thousands of crores were being sanctioned for the Kumbh Mela while the “Adivasi Kumbh Mela” of Medaram Jatara continued to be ignored. Revanth Reddy demanded immediate Central funds and reiterated his call for the festival to be recognized at the national level.
He also criticised the previous BRS government for a decade of neglect and discrimination toward the Sammakka Saralamma temple. Assuring that his administration would release all necessary funds, he said, “With the blessings of Sammakka and Saralamma, I began my padayatra here on February 6, 2023, to dethrone the previous rulers. Today, with people’s support, we are determined to make this temple a historic symbol of Telangana’s tribal pride.”
Highlighting welfare measures, the Chief Minister noted that additional Indiramma houses had been sanctioned in ITDA areas and that every government initiative was being designed with tribal upliftment in mind. He emphasised that tribals, as the original inhabitants of the land, must remain central partners in temple development and state welfare programmes.
Revanth Reddy concluded with a promise that all development works would be completed before the 2026 Maha Jatara. He assured devotees that the upcoming event would be celebrated on the grandest scale ever, with the cooperation of officials, priests, and the local community. “Let us together make this Jatara a great success.”
September 23, 2025, 18:53 IST
Loading comments…
Read More
