Jatara items costing pilgrims a bomb

Medaram (Bhupalpally): With still a couple of days left for the main Jatara to commence, the prices of all commodities - from puja paraphernalia to country chickens, liquor etc. - have already touched sky high, at Medaram, the abode of tribal deities Sammakka and Saralamma.

The impact is not just limited to Medaram and neighbouring villages, but the nearby cities like Warangal and Karimnagar are also experiencing its spiralling effect.

Needless to mention, no Jatara revelry in this part of the country is complete without non-vegetarian food and liquor. The government gave permission to 38 wine shops in and around Medaram considering the huge devotee influx that likely to cross one crore. This apart, quite a few other traders also selling liquor illegally, it’s learnt.

Despite this, the boozers have to dig deep in their pockets to fetch liquor. Currently, the traders are slapping Rs 50 on each quarter bottle, irrespective of the brand. At this rate, the customers have to pay Rs 200 on a full bottle. In case of beer that costs Rs 90, the customers have to cough an additional Rs 50 to Rs 60.

It’s learnt that even cheap liquor also became costlier by Rs 30. While the price of broiler chicken (live bird) that costs Rs 100 per kg has gone up by Rs 140, the country chicken (locally known as natu kodi) has become dearer as it was costing anywhere around Rs 340 per kg. Sharing his woes with The Hans India, V Shankaraiah, a chicken shop owner said: “I paid a whopping Rs 10,000 per square yard to the landlord to set up my shop.”

Not just the cost of liquor and non-vegetarian food has gone beyond the limits, even one litre packaged water bottle that costs Rs 20 is being sold at Rs 40. Vakkala Srinivas of Md Ghousepally village under Mulugu mandal who went to Medaram on Sunday said that even before the main Jatara was started liquor and meat prices have gone up phenomenally.

The rented accommodation available in the vicinity of Medaram has also become hotspots for the devotees who as a religious obligation spent a day at the Jatara. The residents of Narlapur, Reddygudem, Kannepally etc., are making hay of the opportunity by charging anywhere around Rs 2,000 a day.

This year, the Forest Department is also made arrangements for renting tented accommodation near Jampannavagu (stream) to devotees. They erected 100 tents with all basic amenities. The tariff is Rs 2,000 per 24 hours and Rs 1,000 per 12 hours,” Bhupalpally Ecotourism Coordinator Kalyanapu Suman said. Those interested can contact 95531 42346 for tented accommodation. The four-day Jatara to commence on January 31.

By Adepu Mahender