Samakka festival is held every two years at Medaram village in
Warangal District of
Andhra Pradesh. It is celebrated by the local tribe called Koya. The festival is attended by millions of devotees from all over Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring states of
Orissa,
Maharashtra and
Madhya Pradesh.
Samakka festival is held to commemorate the bravery of a Koya tribal queen called Samakka who faced the Kakatiyas, the rulers of Warangal in the 11th to 14th centuries. A ceremonial dip in the rivulet called Jampana Vaagu is one of the important rituals of the festival. Offerings of coconut and jaggery are piled at the foot of trees to honour Koya martyrs.
