Pilgrimage Tourism and Economic Impact: An Empirical Study on Medaram Samakka- Sarakka Jatara

To certain places, like the birth or death of the spiritual awakening founders. These places are very significant for believers. Medaram, a village in the Mulugu district of Telangana, India, is one such place. It hosts the well-known non-Vedic and non-Brahminical religious celebration, the Sammakka Sarakka Jatara. This biennial festival observed in Magha (February) masam on the full moon day, pays homage to the revered goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma. This festival is the largest tribal celebration in Asia and is celebrated by the Koya tribe living in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the neighbouring states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The festival attracts an average of more than one crore people, making it a significant event for the local community and the region. The study finds significant differences in monthly income and savings patterns across locations during the peak pilgrimage season and off-season. It shows that 98% of responses to pilgrimage destinations involve temporary hospitality businesses like tea shops, juice stands, and hotels, which are vital for meeting pilgrims' needs and supporting local economies. Other opportunities include selling ritual goods and using forest resources. 95% opinion that the Medaram pilgrimage boosts local income and job opportunities and diversifies occupations, improving financial stability for individuals and religious institutions. The Medaram pilgrimage significantly impacts government agencies like the Devastanam Board, TSRTC, Railways, BSNL, and the Tourism Department. However, the study also highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices in pilgrimage tourism, as the Medaram pilgrimage significantly disrupts the natural balance of surrounding areas, causing deforestation and pollution, waste generation from animal and bird sacrifices, open defecation, and water and airborne diseases. The correlation of chi-square test results shows a significant impact of pilgrimage increased levels of income, livelihood security for local people and adverse effects on ecological balance in the surrounding areas, including water and airborne diseases [Chi-square = 364.58 and sig = 0.000 and Chi-square= 356.37 and sig= 0.000], respectively.