WARANGAL: The water stream flowing behind the altars at Medaram was the focus of the religious congregation of devotees who came to worship the tribal deities Sammakka and Saralamma.
After a dip in the stream known as Jampanna Vagu’, devotees proceed for darshan of the deities. They dress up in their finery or go in wet clothes.
Legend has it that Jampanna was one of the sons of tribal queen Sammakka and her husband Pag-ididdaraju. In the battle with Kakatiya king Prata-pa Rudra, Sammakka, her daughter Nagulamma, son-in-law Govindaraju and Jampanna died.
A badly injured Jampa-nna came up to the Vagu where he collapsed and died. The stream was named after him, according to local lore.
The jampanna vagu was an attractive sight in the Medaram forests. It is believed that bathing in Jampanna vagu made young men brave and daring and women virtuous and good looking.
The Telangana government constructed a bathing ghat with steps to reach the water on either side for about 2 km.
A battery of taps and changing rooms for women devotees were also set up. Water from nearby Laknavaram reservoir was released a few days ahead of the jatara.
Legends spoke about the sacrifices made by tribal heroes Ekalavya and Ghatotkacha (sons of Hidambi and Bhima) and it was tribal belief that they would regain their powers if they bathed in the vagu.
