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Asia’s largest tribal festival started with enormous traditional vigour experiencing a large number of pilgrims and devotees from all across the country.

The Medaram Jathara:

• It is the second-largest fair in India after Kumbh Mela and is celebrated by the Koya tribe of Telangana. 
• The celebration continues for four days.
• This festival is with the objective of honouring the goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma. Saralamma was the daughter of Sammakka. 
• It is celebrated once every two years in the month of Magha (February) on the full moon day. 
• The idol of Saralamma is installed in the temple at Kannepalli, a small village near Medaram. 
• The rituals are performed by the Koya priests called Kaka Vaddes.
• Traditional music is played with: 
  • Doli – cylindrical drum
  • Akkum – Brass blowing instrument
  • Thootha Kommu – Bison horn blowing instrument
  • Cymbals

About the Koya Tribes:

• Koyas are identified as a warrior tribe.
• They speak Odia and Telugu languages. 
• The last queen of Malkangiri named Bagaru Devi had a large Koya army with the help of which she defeated Ramachandra Deva III of Jeypore. 
• In 1880, during the British period, the Koya rebellion took place under the leadership of Koya youth Tama Dora. 
• They opposed the British government in many ways.
• The principal tribe is found in the Malkangiri district of south Odisha.
• They are also found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh apart from Odisha. 
• Koyas are widely distributed in Kalimela, Mottu, Podia, Mathili and Kokonda blocks. 
• The Koyas of Malkangiri are ethno-culturally connected to Bison-horn Murias of adjacent Chhattisgarh. 
• They are known as Madia in the Sukuma region and Dorla in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.