origin sammakka jathara festival

ORIGIN OF JATRA

There are many legends about the miraculous powers of samakka and one of them has it that in the 13^th century, some tribal leaders who went for a hunting found a new born girl child emitting enormous light playing amidst tigers. She was taken to their habitation and brought up as a chief tain (She later became the saviour of the tribals of the region) she was married to Pagididda Raju a feudatory tribal chief of Kakatiyas who were the rulers of this area. She was blessed with 2daughters and one son namely Saralamma, Nagulamma and Jampanna respectively. It so happens that there was a drought continuously for 3 to 4 years and pagedde Raju didn't pay tribute to King Pratapa Rudra. In turn king Pratapa rudra sent his army to subdue the tribals and collect the tribute. Then a War was fought between tribal chief pagidde Raju and Kakatiya army on the banks of "Sampenga Vagu" (Jampanna Vagu).

The Koya army fought valiantly but could not with stand the well equipped Kakatiya army. Though fought valiantly Pagididda Raju, his daughters Saralamma, Nagulamma, son in law Govinda Raju lost (husband of Saralamma) lives in the battle. Later Jampanna also dies in Sampenga Vagu (after renamed as Jampanna Vagu in the memory of his heroic fight against well trained Kakatiya army).

Upon hearing this news Sammakka also enters war and fights and causes lot of damage to kakatiya army. Surprised by her Bravery And Valour one soldier of Kakatiyas Army stabs her from backside. Sammakka Was seriously Wounded And with that wounded body proceeds towards Chilakala gutta and disappears. Later Koya army follows her but they could not found her but only one container of vermilion. Then they thought of it her symbol and worships her in the same form till today.

The Jatra begins with bringing of Saralamma (a container of vermilion) from Kannepalli a neighboring village on 16^th of this month.

The main goddess Sammakka will be brought from Chilukalagutta on 17^th (a container of vermilion) by tribals priests. One of the unique feature of the Jatra is no idol worship, only worship of two wooden poles and container of vermilion.(Kumkuma barini) as symbols of goddess.