Bengaluru Karaga is primarily a well-known tradition of Thigala community in southern Karnataka. The Karaga festival is generally led by the men of the community. There is a legend which gives them this privilege. Thigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharatha, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last Asura (Demon) called Tripurasura was still alive. At this time, Draup
adi, the Pandava's wife, took the form of Shakthi devi. She created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After defeating the Asura, the soldiers asked Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. Though she had to go back, she promised them that she would come to stay with them every year during the first full moon of the first month of the Hindu calendar.[1]
Thigalas believe that they belong to this community of soldiers. Expansion of the word KARAGA
ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಕ್ಷರದಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡ ಬಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲಿ Character In English
ಕ ಕೈಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಟ್ತದೆ KA Without touching in hand
ರ ರುಂಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಧರಾಸಿ RA Bearing on the head
ಗ ಗತಿಸುವುದು / ಚಲಿಸುವುದು GA Moving around
Participants in the Karaga bear the deity on their head without touching by hand and moving around. It is believed that the goddess Adishakthi Draupadi will come down from heaven to earth and stay for three days with the community. In this connection the community will perform Vratha (religious practice) for 11 days in a year from the day of Chaitra Shrasthi. The Thigalas believe that Draupadi Shakti (power) brims over during the Karaga festival and the Karaga carrier dressing as a female is symbolic of Draupadi.It is a high ritualistic significance for Thigalas and they celebrate Draupadi, as they believe she is an ideal woman. The Karaga itself is a tall floral pyramid that is balanced on the carrier's head. The Karaga leaves the temple around midnight. The goddess is brought for the darshan of the devotees from the temple on the head of the Karaga-bearer. Karaga is a unique celebration that brings people of different religions together. Karaga commences with the flag-hoisting ceremony on the night of Saptami, the seventh day of the bright half of Chaitra, the first month in the Hindu calendar. It is on this day that the Kumbha or the holy pot, called the "Hasi Karaga," is made from the sediment of the Sampangi Tank. Later in the night, the Karaga is installed in a mantapa on the banks of the tank. Traditionally, the festivities begin with the recitation of mantras (incantations) and the hoisting of a ceremonial flag on the banks of Bengaluru’s Sampangi tank. On the seventh day Hasi-Karaga (tender Karaga) is brought from a salt water pond near the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple. Legend has it that Karaga carrier while in deep meditation in the waist deep water in the pond suddenly feels a weight on his head. Holding the object like he would a baby, he goes to the Sampangi tank. Then the object is brought back to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple and placed next to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple and placed next to the idol of Dharma. At this point it becomes the Karaga. The Karaga is expertly balanced on the carrier's head. The carrier, in his temporary avatar as Draupadi, goes to the houses of the veerakumaras where their families perform pooja to the Karaga. The carrier is practically in a trance even as he dances along with the veerakumaras (who are carrying their swords). By the time the procession returns to the temple it is dawn. Every year, the Thigalas celebrate a festival called Karaga. The story of the Karaga is also rooted in the Mahabharata.Draupadi is the community deity of the Vanhikula Kshytriyas. The Karaga is an annual celebration of her as the ideal woman and of woman-power (Mother Goddess). The Karaga is a pot on which is a floral cone. This cone is taken in procession from the historic Dharmaraya Swamy Temple in the Thigalara-peytey area of the old City, through the night. Throughout the night there is worship offered to the Karaga along its route. At the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple location, people continuously sing devotional hymns, leading the people in their group for singing and chanting. A large number of people wait at the temple for the Karaga’s return. Karaga commences with the all important flag raising ceremony called Dwajarohana. The Yellow flag is hoisted inside the temple courtyard where the flag is hoisted on a bamboo flag pole and on the first day the veerakumaras and the priest have Janivara(thread worn as a band over the left shoulder) and sacred kankana(sacred thread) tied on their wrist, only then can they do sevae(serve) to her. Prayers are offered by the priest, veerakumaras and chaakrigars. Five hereditary clan families are involved in the tradition. All the rituals are steeped in secrecy. From 2nd to 6th days, in the evenings aarthi takes place at the Cubbon Park shakti peeta, and then at other 8 water sources. On the 6th day ladies pray to Draupadi Devi with an elaborate aarati. The 7th day is hase Karaga when symbolically the goddess is readied for her marriage. She emerges from the kere (tank), readied as a woman fully decked up like a bride, and by another secret ritual she carries the kalasha(pot). The veerakumaras pay their obeisance to her and es**rt her to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple. The 8th day is Pongal sevae done by the wives of the veerae daras to the goddess. On the pournami day the marriage of the goddess and the utsav murtis are taken in a procession. The 10th day is shanthi pooje to Potha raja, also a protector and the brother in law to the Pandavas. The 11th day is vasanth utsava, all rituals pertaining to the festival will end the Karaga flag will be unfurled. The Karaga returns to the Temple in the morning. Much dancing and singing happens at this point. Worship is offered at the temple. Many rituals are performed and the festival is brought to an end. Throughout the period of the festival, cooked rice mixed with various spices are offered to people free of cost. The purpose of Karaga[edit]
Draupadi is a form of shakti that Dharmaraya worshipped. It was for peace that this Karaga is meant for. Draupadi devi is not installed in the temple here at the time of Karaga. She is put in as a chakrastapane, so that the devout get her darshan (view). Otherwise she is represented by a charka peeta. This representation of shakti is followed only by Thigalas. For over 800 years, the festival has been celebrated in the temple and never once has the goddess and chariot not left on their annual journey.
