Medaram Jathara: India's massive tribal festival returns
Medaram Jathara, one of the world's biggest tribal gatherings, is back from January 28-31 in Telangana's Medaram village.
Around 30 million people are expected to join the celebration, where Koya priests install the deities Saralamma (on the evening of January 28) and Sammakka (at about 6pm on January 29) in unique rituals.
What makes it special?
This festival isn't just about crowds—it honors a centuries-old tribal revolt against injustice.
Devotees bring jaggery equal to their body weight and take a dip in Jampanna Vagu stream as part of heartfelt traditions.
People come from all over India (and even abroad) every two years for this.
How is the festival being managed?
With such huge numbers, Telangana's government has gone all out: they've rebuilt the shrine at a cost of ₹101 crore, set up 4,000 busses, and brought in 5,000 health workers.
There are also 42,000 staff and volunteers on duty—plus bike ambulances, an official website, a mobile application with a safety module (including SOS alerts and complaint registration) and a WhatsApp chatbot, plastic bans to keep things clean, and upgraded power lines so everything runs smoothly.