According to Minister Seethakka, the structures are built to last 200 to 250 years, without sacrificing quality or cultural authenticity.
Published Jan 01, 2026 | 4:01 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 01, 2026 | 4:01 PM
Preparations for Sammakka Saralamma Jatara Jatra are in full swing. Credit: x.com/seethakkaMLA
Synopsis: Medaram’s Sammakka–Saralamma Maha Jatra site is undergoing a ₹251-crore transformation ahead of 2026. Sacred deity platforms, granite sculptures inspired by Koya manuscripts, and fortified gaddelas promise durability and cultural authenticity. Preserving trees and adding medicinal plants, the project replaces decades of temporary fixes with lasting infrastructure. Minister Seethakka calls it history in stone, preparing Medaram for generations.
Deep in the woods of Mulugu district, Medaram is being given a new lease of life. Ahead of the four-day Sammakka–Saralamma Maha Jatra beginning 28 January, 2026, the sacred site is undergoing a ₹251-crore makeover—one that seeks to put an end to patchwork fixes and build something meant to stand the test of time.
Minister for Women & Child Welfare and Panchayat Raj Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) has called the effort a “milestone in history.” For the first time, a tribal festival site of such scale is being comprehensively documented, reconstructed and presented without cutting corners or diluting tradition.
With the government cracking the whip, work is moving at a brisk pace. “The CM reviews progress every day,” Seethakka said, adding that ministers are also keeping a hawk eye on timelines and quality.
At the heart of the revamp are the sacred vanadevata platforms, now nearing completion with a dedicated outlay of ₹101 crore. Designed to be both functional and faithful to custom, these platforms are meant to become the nerve centre of the Jatara, improving darshan while respecting age-old practices.
What truly steals the show, however, is the artistic ambition. Nearly 4,000 tonnes of granite are being shaped into around 7,000 sculptures inspired by 930-year-old Koya palm-leaf manuscripts. From tribal history and folklore to the lineage of Sammakka’s clan, the carvings turn Medaram into a living, open-air museum. The main entrance arch alone carries 59 sculptural panels, while the names of 750 Koya clans are etched across the complex—quite literally setting history in stone.
More than 250 sculptors, led by Dr Hariprasad and supported by architects Eamani Shivanagi Reddy and Dr Motilal, are bringing this vision to life. Adding academic weight to the exercise, students from the Sammakka–Saralamma Archaeology Research Institute have chipped in with designs rooted in research rather than guesswork.
విద్యుత్ వెలుగుల్లో బంగారంలా మెరుస్తున్న మేడారం#medaram pic.twitter.com/6cEEBXr4dJ
— Danasari Seethakka (@seethakkaMLA) December 30, 2025
The rebuilt Gaddela Pranganam spans 271 square metres and resembles a stone-fortified monument, complete with 46 pillars and eight imposing arches—three stretching 40 feet wide and five at 30 feet. A 50-foot archway faces the deity platforms, while circular gaddelas ringed by stone pillars and bamboo elements echo the rhythms of tribal forest life.
Nature, too, has not been left by the wayside. Existing trees have been preserved, and 12 culturally significant species—such as banyan, neem and mahua—along with 140 medicinal plants are being added. According to Seethakka, the structures are built to last 200 to 250 years, without sacrificing quality or cultural authenticity.
This marks a clean break from the past. For decades, the Medaram Jatra relied on temporary arrangements that were assembled and dismantled every two years, burning a hole in the exchequer and leaving devotees to bear the brunt. Makeshift platforms buckled under pressure, pathways clogged, sanitation lagged behind, and safety fears—especially the threat of stampedes—hung like a dark cloud.
Darshan was often a trial by fire. Poorly planned layouts led to serpentine queues, pushing and jostling, while the absence of permanent paths worsened crowding during peak hours. Environmental damage followed unchecked footfall, and the rich Koya heritage remained largely invisible, lost amid logistical chaos.
Health facilities, water supply and waste management were frequently stretched thin, forcing reliance on traditional stopgaps such as turmeric for its medicinal value.
This time, the government claims to have put in serious effort. Deity platforms are being aligned in a single-line formation to streamline darshan without breaking with tradition. Better access, improved flow and permanent infrastructure are expected to ease the burden on devotees travelling from Telangana and neighbouring states.
That said, no project is without loose ends. Details on climate resilience—such as flood-proofing in a forested zone—remain sketchy. Accessibility for differently abled devotees and the use of digital tools for crowd management or virtual outreach are areas yet to be fully addressed.
Still, as Seethakka put it, this is “not just infrastructure creation, but history being chiselled in stone.” The government, seems to be learning from past mistakes. It is replacing temporary fixes with enduring, culturally rooted solutions. Seethakka said: “Medaram is being prepared not just for the next Jatra, but for several generations to come.”
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
