When Medaram called, millions answered
There are some journeys we plan, and some that seem to call us. Medaram has always been the latter.
Days before the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara began, the roads leading into the small tribal hamlet started filling up with tractors draped in marigolds, slow-moving bullock carts packed with pilgrims, buses humming through the night, families carrying children – half-asleep – on their shoulders, and elders walking with the certainty of faith – some with blocks of jaggery on their head, some holding chickens in their hands, and others dragging along (or carrying) a lamb tied by a rope. By the time the festival opened, Medaram no longer remained a village. It was a living tide of devotion.
And yet, beneath this enormous gathering – with an expected footfall of nearly three crore devotees – there was something noticeably different this year: a sense of ease.
People were prepared for crowds. What they did not expect was how smoothly things would move.
Extensive & elaborate arrangements, smooth operations
The Telangana government, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, had put extensive arrangements in place well ahead of the festival. Over 40,000 personnel from multiple departments worked on the ground – managing security, transport, sanitation, medical aid, and crowd movement, round the clock.
But numbers alone do not tell the story. What mattered was how it felt to the people who came.
Extending his wishes to devotees, the Chief Minister said, “I hope devotees receive the blessings of the forest goddesses and return home safely.” He assured that all arrangements were completed in advance so pilgrims would not face inconvenience.
It was a message sans attention-seeking statements. On the contrary, it provided what the devotees needed the most – reassurance.
And reassurance travels fast among pilgrims.
Of practical comforts that truly matter
- Over 3 crore devotees visited Medaram during the four-day Jatara in January 2026.
At bus points, volunteers guided arrivals patiently. Special buses kept coming, reducing long waits. Medical camps stood ready. Sanitation workers moved quietly through the grounds, doing the kind of work that is often noticed only in its absence.
For many devotees, the difference showed in small moments. A farmer who had travelled overnight with his family smiled as he stepped aside after darshan and said, “We expected pushing and confusion. But it was well organised. We could focus on the prayer.”
Nearby, a woman resting under a temporary shelter echoed the same feeling: “The crowd is huge, but the tension is less this time. Facilities are better.”
These are not dramatic statements. But festivals like Medaram, where lakhs of people gather, are built on such practical comforts – drinking water when you need it, a bus when your legs are tired, a clear path when the crowd thickens.
Spirit of the Jatara resonates across the world
- How Medaram looked during the BRS rule; before the renovation works began.
Panchayat Raj Minister Danasari Anasuya a.k.a. Seethakka, who has a deep connection to the region, emphasised that departments have been working together so devotees would not face difficulties. The focus, she indicated, during preparations, was simple: every pilgrim should be able to complete their visit without hardship.
- Medaram during the renovation stage.
That clarity seemed to guide the effort on the ground.
There were also moments that reminded everyone how far the Jatara’s resonance travels. A delegation from New Zealand’s Māori community visited Medaram ahead of the festival and performed the traditional Haka. When Minister Seethakka briefly joined them, It didn’t feel like a formal event; it felt like two cultures meeting with warmth.
Newspapers across Telangana highlighted the scale of the arrangements and the steady coordination behind them. Traffic was regulated, sectors were clearly marked, and services ran around the clock. Managing a gathering of this size is never simple, but preparation has a way of softening the strain.
No spectacle, only steadiness: What stood out this year
Faith remained exactly as it has always been – unwavering and deeply personal. Devotees still offered jaggery equal to their weight, still took the sacred dip in Jampanna Vagu, still waited hours for a glimpse of the goddesses. Tradition did not change.
What changed was the journey around it becoming a little more comfortable.
Large festivals often test a government. Medaram, this year, didn’t feel like a test. It looked like a responsibility carefully carried on the capable shoulders of the Congress government.
As the days pass and pilgrims slowly begin their journeys home, they will take back – as they always do – the red dust on their feet, the smell of incense caught in their clothes, and the belief that the goddesses have listened.
But, perhaps, they will also remember that the path to the forest felt smoother this time.
And sometimes, that is enough to make a sacred journey feel even more peaceful.
