Mini altars decked up for biannual festivities in Siddipet

There were at least a dozen mini altars in Cheriyal, Komuravelly, Husnabad, Akkannapet, Koheda, Dholimitta, Nanganur, Bejjanki and Chinnakodur mandals.

Siddipet: The festive fervor of the biennial Sammakka-Sarakka jatara has gripped the villages of Siddipet district. While thousands of devotees are heading to the Tadvai forest in Mulugu district to offer prayers to the deities of Sammakka-Sarakka, the devotees, who are not able to visit Tadvai, are heading to mini altars located in different parts of the district.

There were at least a dozen mini altars in Cheriyal, Komuravelly, Husnabad, Akkannapet, Koheda, Dholimitta, Nanganur, Bejjanki and Chinnakodur mandals. While festivities at some of these mini altars commenced on Tuesday, rituals commenced at the remaining mini altars on Wednesday. The devotee influx will cross one lakh at several mini altars.

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The festivals have been celebrated for over 40 years at Akkenapally village in Nanganuru mandal. The festivities will be celebrated until February 23 here. Officials have made all arrangements for the Sammakka-Sarakka jathara at Yellamma Cheruvu in Husnabad town. Another mini altar located at Potlapally village in the mandal was also readied for biennial celebrations. To ensure the smooth flow of the devotees, the Husnabad police have erected barricades apart from making all arrangements at these mini altars.

The Sammakka-Sarakka jatara at Komuravelly Kaman located close to Rajiv Rahadari will also attract a huge number of devotees. The mini altars located at Devakkapally, Gundaram and Thotapally in Bejjanki mandals were also decked for biennial festivities. The mini altars located at Parivedha, Vinjapally and Tangallapally in Koheda mandal will also attract a huge number of devotees from across Koheda and neighbouring mandals.

Kutigal Sammakka-Sarakka Temple located in Dholimitta mandal is also decked up for festivities. The mini altar on Sanjeevaiah Gutta in Goverdhanagiri village of Akkanapet mandal is expected to attract a huge number of devotees from across the mandal. Kistapur mini altar in Chinnakodur mandal is also decked up for the festivities.

Like in the main temple located at Tadvai, the devotees will offer gold (jaggery) to deities to fulfill their vows at all these mini altars. The demand for jaggery has increased manifold in villages and towns alike as the festivities have commenced at Tadvai and also at mini altars simultaneously. In most of these mini altars, the rituals will be performed following the traditions of Tadvai.

On the first day, the Sarakka deity will be carried to the platform which follows the ritual of carrying the deity of Sammakka on the next day. The festivities will peak on Friday when a huge number of devotes will throng these temples. The TSRTC has arranged special buses to the Tadvai forest area from different bus stations in Siddipet district.