The Sammakka Sarakka story is believed to have happened
during the 13th century AD in the forest around Medaram in Telangana.
Sammakka is the mother and Sarakka or Saralamma is her daughter. The legend
begins with the tribal leaders of Koya tribe finding Sammakka in deep forest
protected by tigers. The tribal leaders believed she was an incarnation of
Kondadevara, god of the hills.
It is said that as a young girl Sammakka rode tigers and
lions. She was also a fierce warrior.
Sammakka was married to tribal chief Pagididda Raju of
Medaram Village.
The couple had a son and two daughters – Jampanna, Saralamma
and Nagulamma.
The older daughter Saralamma or Sarakka was married to
Govindaraju.
Once the tribes of the region were unable to pay tax due to
severe drought for four years. This angered the ruler of the region, a Kakatiya
King, and the tribes entered into a war with the king. In the battle, the
tribal chief was killed. Sammakka lost her three children in the battle.
Upon hearing the loss of her children and husband, she
entered the battle and fought fiercely against the enemy. A soldier came from
behind and struck her. She was mortally wounded. She cursed that the Kakatya
dynasty would perish. (And her curse became a reality in few years.)
In order not to be caught alive, Sammakka fled into the
forest. Those who followed her found only a vermilion box at a snake hole under
a tree.
The tribal people realized that Sammakka had assumed the form
of the vermilion box at the place of her liking. The place became her shrine.