Goddess Sammakka arrived at the altars in Medaram for the Sammakka Saralamma jatara. Her daughter arrived a day before, and then she appeared in the form of a vermillion casket on Thursday. Tribal priests had to navigate through a crowd of devotees to reach the altars with the casket.
The priests traditionally brought the Goddess from her location beneath a tunnel on Chilukalagutta hill. When they emerged with the casket, the Mulugu Superintendent of Police fired three gunshots to mark her arrival. The procession to the altars was slow as devotees laid down on the path for priests to walk over them. The ritual was completed when the casket was tied to a bamboo pole.
The administration is preparing for a large crowd on Friday, the only day when all the deities will be present at the altars. Managing such a large number of devotees will be a challenge for the authorities.
