page_title: Bangalore Karaga
section_title: Karaga fervour at midnight – the culmination of devotion
hierarchical_section_title: Bangalore Karaga / Karaga – The Festival of Thigala Clan / Karaga fervour at midnight – the culmination of devotion
caption_attribution_description: English: The karaga will take a pradhakshina of the peetashala of the temple and move out of the main temple and take darshana and aarathi of shakthi ganapathy, Muthyalammadevi and movies towards chariot
context_page_description: Bengaluru Karaga is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru. Bengaluru Karaga is primarily a well-known tradition of 'Vahnikula Kshatriyas 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. Vahnikula Kshatriyas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharatha, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last Asura called Thimirasura was still alive.
  At this time, Draupadi, 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. Thigalas believe that they belong to this community of soldiers.
  In Karaga Draupadi is worshipped as an incarnation of Adiparashakti and Parvathi, which is said to have been the result of a boon granted to her by Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma, for her to have five husbands.
context_section_description: The auspicious day of Karaga Shakthiotsava falls on the Chaitra Poornima a full moon day in the month of Chaitra. This is the ninth day of the festival and starts off with the holy bath. The fast is maintained during the entire day to pay obeisance to the Goddess Draupadi.
  The members of the chariot decorators (Therukattuva maneyavaru) decorate main seven Ankhana chariot with colourful cloths and create a doom on the top of the chariot below the kalasha and the Veera Hanuman photo will be affixed in the front of the doom and the chariot will get ready to move before the Karaga Shakthyotsava sanchara starts.
  The same day morning Uthsava Karthas and Veerakumaras assemble at 10 am near the temple and they join the priest to the Karagada Kunte with all chathra. Chamara, Dwaja and Nadaswara, the procession will reach the Karagada Kunte. After the pooja and prasada they come back to temple. While coming back the sevakarthas, Veerakumaras and devotees bring the green leaf branches of Honge Tree and make Mantapa in the temple. After reaching temple, the regular pooja and regular Kainkaryas will be performed.
  The priest conduce pooja of Bangles and wears the Bangle(Bale Thodisuvudu) and prepare for the Vivaha Shasthra as a bride, the Kula purohitha will take him to the sacred place and perform Homa. The karthas will go to priest's house and bring mangala dravyas and Mangalya with Bageena. It will be taken to Garbha griha, The kula purohitha will conduct sumanthra vivaha to lord Arjuna and goddess Draupadi Devi. By this the Karaga kartha priest is empowered to bear the Adhishakthi super divine power on him in the form of KARAGA.
  The priest and karathas perform the shanthikainkarya to the eternal forces around the temple area by offering Bali and proceed to the Karagada kunte at 10 pm The Karagada Karthas will offer The Karand chant manthras and prepare prerequisites for the Karaga Shakthyotsava. The Devatha Kainkaryas are sacred and secret; it is observed and practised on the basis of ancient Thanthra-Manthra vidhana of Shaktha Pantha. From there they will reach Shakthi Peeta and fire the karpuras and offer their prayer to kuladevatha and come back to the Temple through Shakthi sthala (Yelu Shuthinakote) after performing pooja and pradhakshina.
  Under the protection of veerakumaras and the elders, amidst the sounds of music as played formally in the temple, the Karaga goes on a Pradarshana (procession) around the temple. The procession is taken around the Elu Suthina Kottai and then proceeds to Shri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple.
  The main karthas of Karaga Shakthyothsava like main priest, Kulapurohitha Ganachari and Gantepoojari start preparatory work at Garbhagruha (Santrum). The veerakumaras and kulagowda go to the Ganachari's house to receive Gandha and Garlands. They will come back to the temple and assemble around the chariot.
  The Idols of the Lord Arjuna and Goddess Draupadi Devi are brought and placed in the main chariot. During this time the main karthas who are in the Garbhagruha (Sanctrum) engaged in avishkaras (admiring the super divine power) of Adhishakthi by chanting manthras and adequating Thanthras to give divine power to the Karaga shakthi and the same is being decorated by Jasmine flowers, chathra, chamara, Shanku-Chakra. The shakti will occupy on the head of the main priest at the time when the moon reaches 90°(Ninety degree) to the earth.
  The idols of Pancha Pandavas move from the temple towards the yathra route, then the main chariot starts moving from the temple towards east and will be parked at Halasurgate Anjaneya Swamy Temple circle followed by Muthyalammadevi Ratha. Soon after this the Banka Dasayya will flout Bhanka nadha and devotees and veerkumaras starts chanting Govinda-Govinda and karapura starts burning. The temple area filled with extraordinary spiritual power. Thousands and thousands of eyes awaiting the Karagashakthi to come out from the Garbhagruha. The enlightened Karaga Shakthi comes out like a thunder light from Garbharuha.
  The shakthi will take a pradhakshina of the peetashala of the temple and m
caption: Huvina Karaga visiting houses of veerakumaras in thigalarpete.
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