By Express News Service
MULUGU: The Mini Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara began on a grand note at Medaram village in Mulugu district on Wednesday. After the temple priests performed special pujas on the occasion of Magha Suddha Pournami, marking the commencement of the celebrations, scores of devotees have started thronging the temple.However, the priests are yet to bring the deities of Sammakka and Saralamma to the temple from the forests.On the occasion, the priests performed ‘Manda Melige’ at the temple, as it remains one of the major rituals associated with the Mini Jatara.
While priests belonging to Siddaboina clan performed the rituals and cleaned the temple of Sammakka in Medaram, priests from Kaka Krishnaiya clan performed rituals at the Saralamma temple in Kanneboinapalli village. According to sources, the Manda Melige was performed by Siddaboina Jagga Rao, Muninder, Arun Kumar, Vasantha Raju, Laxmi, Dasaratham and Swamy at the Sammakka temple; and Kaka Saraiah, Bujanga Rao, Kiran Kumar and Laxmi Bai at the Saralamma temple. After cleaning the temples, the priests decorated the shrines with mango leaves and offered country hens to the deities. On the occasion, local women will decorate their houses and also put rangolis.
According to district administration, 10 lakh devotees are expected to visit the temples during the Jatara. The district administration has allocated Rs 1.52 crore and made all arrangements for the convenience of the devotees. About 120 workers from Rajahmundry have been entrusted with the task to sanitise the temple.
Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod visited Medaram on Wednesday and offered prayers to the deities.