Medaram is a village in the Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district, deep in the Eturnagaram forest in northeast Telangana. For most of the time it is a small settlement among teak and bamboo, with a shrine area, a stream and a few shops. Every two years, around Magha Purnima in January or February, it becomes the site of the Sammakka Saralamma jatara, a four-day tribal fair led by Koya priests that is often called Asia's largest, with attendance estimated in the millions.
The festival honours Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma, who in the Koya legend died resisting a demand for tribute by a Kakatiya king. There is no great temple here. The sacred places are the open platforms at Medaram, the Chilakalagutta hillock where Sammakka is said to have vanished, and Jampanna Vagu, the stream where pilgrims bathe. Seen on an ordinary day, they are quiet and plain, which is part of their power.
The village lies about 90 km from Warangal and roughly 240 km from Hyderabad, and there is no railway line to it. Most travellers come by road through Mulugu and combine Medaram with Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Laknavaram Lake and the UNESCO-listed Ramappa Temple. For families and older travellers, the sensible approach is to make Warangal the base, go in the cooler months, and avoid the jatara itself unless you are fit and well prepared.
Before you plan
Medaram at a glance
- Best months
- October to February is the most…October to February is the most comfortable; March to May is hot, and June to September is the monsoon. The jatara falls in January or February every two years.
- Ideal trip length
- 1 day from Warangal for Medaram alone1 day from Warangal for Medaram alone; 2 days if you add Laknavaram Lake and Ramappa Temple
- Airport
- Rajiv Gandhi International Airport,…Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad (HYD), about 240 km away by road; allow roughly 5 hours
- Railway station
- WarangalWarangal (WL) is the nearest main station, about 90 km away; Kazipet Junction (KZJ) is also used. There is no direct railway to Medaram.
- Getting around
- A hired car from Warangal is the…A hired car from Warangal is the practical way; state buses run to Mulugu and on towards Medaram, and special services are added for the jatara
- Daily budget
- Roughly ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 per person…Roughly ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 per person per day excluding hotel if you hire a car from Warangal; facilities at Medaram are basic
- Senior comfort
- Fair on ordinary days: sites are…Fair on ordinary days: sites are mostly level but facilities are minimal. The jatara itself is very demanding for older travellers.
- Language
- Telugu and Koya locallyTelugu and Koya locally; Hindi and some English understood in Warangal
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Medaram: February, November, December. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Medaram itinerary
One good day
1 day in Medaram
Leave Warangal early and drive towards Mulugu, stopping if you wish at Ramappa Temple in Palampet while the light is soft. Continue through the Eturnagaram forest to Medaram and spend an hour at the Sammakka Saralamma platforms and at Jampanna Vagu. Eat lunch before or after, as dining choices in the village are limited. Return via Laknavaram Lake if time allows, reaching Warangal by evening.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Medaram
Start from Warangal and visit Ramappa Temple in the morning, then continue to Laknavaram Lake for a boat ride and the hanging bridges. Stay overnight at the lake or in Mulugu if accommodation is confirmed.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Medaram
Use the first day for Warangal Fort and the Thousand Pillar Temple, and rest before the forest drive.
Day-by-day plan →
