BJP Govt Not Giving National Festival Status to Medaram Jatara, says Indrakaran
WARANGAL: The BJP government at the Centre keeps “ignoring” the plea from the Telangana government to consider the biennial tribal fair, Sammakka and Saralamma jatara, in Medaram of Mulugu district, as a national festival. The biennial jatara takes place in February next.
The allegation was made on Thursday by endowment minister Indrakaran Reddy after he inaugurated the endowment office building constructed at a cost of Rs 4 crore in Hanamkonda. Panchayat raj minister Dayakar Rao as also state planning board vice-chairman Vinod Kumar, government chief whip Vinay Bhaskar, etc were also present.
The endowment minister visited the Sri Rudreshwara Swamy (Thousand Pillar) temple and the Sri Bhadrkali Devi shrine and offered prayers to the presiding deities. Later, speaking to the media, Indrakaran said chief minister Chandrashekar Rao sanctioned funds of more than a hundred crore for the development of Medaram, the seat of tribal goddess Sammakka and Saralamma.
“The state government is implementing developmental works and expecting more than a crore of devotees to attend the biennial Medaram jatara in February,” he said.
KCR had also performed Ayuth Chandi Yagam for the well-being of the people and for timely rains so that the farmers could benefit, he said.
“KCR as CM transformed the Sri Laxminarasimha Swamy temple at Yadadri like that of Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati and now the Yadadri temple is called Telangana Tirupati,” the minister noted.
The government also sanctioned funds for development of the Sri Sitaramachandra Swamy temple at Valmidi in Palakurthy constituency of Jangaon district, he said.
Later, the minister accompanied by tribal welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod visited Medaram and offered special prayers at the Sammakka and Saralamma temple. He also reviewed the various developmental works at Medaram.
He laid the foundation for construction of an administration building there at a cost of Rs 12 crore, a dormitory hall for the guests costing Rs 2 crore, a guest house for temple priests for Rs 1.5 crore, a Shuba Mandapam for Rs 1.06 crore and a Saralamma temple at Kannepalli village with an input of Rs 94 lakh.
