The short answer
Sammakka Saralamma Gaddelu, Medaram: what visitors should know first
Visit if the story of Sammakka and Saralamma interests you; it is moving and unusual, but small and plain outside the jatara. Daily darshan arrangements are not published, so confirm with the temple administration, and avoid festival days unless you are prepared for enormous crowds.
History and context
The story behind Sammakka Saralamma Gaddelu, Medaram
The story is passed down in oral tradition and varies in detail. In a common version, the Koya chief Medaraju could not pay tribute to the Kakatiya king during a drought, a war followed, and Medaraju's daughter Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma died in the fighting about eight centuries ago. Sammakka's son Jampanna died by leaping into a stream, now called Jampanna Vagu.
Until about 1955 the fair attracted only a few thousand mostly Koya visitors. In recent decades the Telangana government has invested heavily in permanent infrastructure around Medaram for the festival.
Useful facts
Sammakka Saralamma Gaddelu, Medaram facts at a glance
- Location
- Medaram, Tadvai mandal, Mulugu district, Telangana
- Faith
- Koya tribal tradition, widely followed by Hindu devotees
- Deity/dedication
- Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma (Sarakka)
- Visitor note
- Open platforms; daily access arrangements are not published
- Offering
- Bellam (jaggery), called bangaram, plus vermilion and turmeric
- Built
- Temporary festival installations plus permanent infrastructure
Why it matters
Why Sammakka Saralamma Gaddelu, Medaram is worth your time
For the Koya people, and for many Telugu-speaking pilgrims, Sammakka and Saralamma are protector goddesses rooted in a story of resistance. The legend says that a ruling Kakatiya king demanded tribute from a drought-hit Koya chief, and that Sammakka, her daughter Saralamma, and others died resisting him. Sammakka is said to have vanished into the Chilakalagutta hills and left a vermilion casket behind.
The shrine is unusual because the rituals are performed by Koya priests, in tribal custom, rather than by Brahmin priests. The number of worshippers outside the tribal community has swelled since the mid-20th century, until non-Koya pilgrims now far outnumber the Koya themselves. Seeing the place on an ordinary day shows the sacred ground without the crowds.
Highlights
What not to miss
- 01
The gaddelu platforms
Open altars where the goddesses are installed at the jatara, simple and unadorned compared with a gopuram temple.
- 02
Chilakalagutta hillock
The hill where Sammakka is said to have vanished, and from which her vermilion casket is brought at the festival.
- 03
The jaggery offering
Pilgrims offer bellam equal to their own weight, a custom that makes this place unlike any other shrine in the state.
Plan your visit
How to experience it
Do not expect a conventional temple. The worship at Medaram centres on gaddelu, open platforms where the goddesses are installed during the jatara, and on the nearby Chilakalagutta hillock, where Sammakka is believed to have disappeared. For most of the two years between festivals the deities are kept away in the forest, which is part of what makes the place feel different from a normal shrine town.
Outside festival days the village is quiet. Arrive in the morning, ask a local guide or the temple staff which areas are open and what can be visited, and walk the platform and shrine area slowly. The ritual offering is bellam, locally called bangaram, which is jaggery given by devotees equal to their own weight; you may see people offering smaller amounts, along with vermilion and turmeric. Take the offering from the stalls near the shrine rather than carrying your own in plastic.
Pair the visit with Jampanna Vagu, the stream a short distance away where pilgrims bathe, and with the drive through Eturnagaram forest. Before leaving, take a moment to read about the legend, because it explains everything you are looking at.
Plan with confidence
Visit as a guest, not a spectator.
- Confirm opening arrangements with the temple office before travelling
- Dress modestly and be ready to remove footwear
- Buy bellam and other offerings at the stalls near the shrine
- Carry water; shade is limited at midday
- Avoid jatara peak days if you have limited mobility
Know before you go
Timing, access and comfort
- Area
- Medaram village, Tadvai mandal, Mulugu district; about 90 km from Warangal
- Time needed
- 1 hour outside the jatara
- Best time
- October to February outside festival days; on jatara days expect crowds of millions
- Walking level
- Easy
- Senior comfort
- Outside the jatara the site is quiet and mostly level, with a short walk from parking. During the festival, density, queues and heat make it very demanding, and older travellers should avoid the peak days.
- Tickets and access
- Entry is free to our knowledge and no darshan ticket is published. Daily opening and puja timings are not reliably published for non-festival days; confirm with the temple administration or the Mulugu district office. Dress modestly and expect to leave footwear outside.
Best for
Plan it with
Plan the practical part
Hotels near Sammakka Saralamma Gaddelu, Medaram
Staying close keeps journeys short — useful for early starts and for anyone who tires quickly.
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Travelling with parents?
Outside the jatara the site is quiet and mostly level, with a short walk from parking. During the festival, density, queues and heat make it very demanding, and older travellers should avoid the peak days.
Raahzo can arrange an arrival or day companion who handles tickets, queues and pacing, and keeps the family updated.
See concierge supportFAQs
Can I visit outside the jatara?
The village and shrine area can be visited on ordinary days, but access arrangements for daily darshan are not published, so check with the temple administration first.
Who are Sammakka and Saralamma?
Sammakka and her daughter Saralamma are tribal goddesses in the Koya tradition, remembered in a legend of resistance against a Kakatiya king's demand for tribute.
What is bangaram?
It is the local word for bellam (jaggery), which devotees offer to the goddesses, traditionally equal to their own weight.
Sources and further reading
Timings, fees and access rules change. Recheck with the official source before you travel.