ABOUT KARGA

The Bangalore karag is is the festival of kshthriyas community schedule to perform on Chaitra poornami day of every year. This is the festival of adishakti droupadi. The literary meaning of karaga is explained asn ka+ra+ga

The KA =kailli muttade (without touching by band)
RA =Rundadalli dharisi (bearing on the head)
GA=gathisuvudu(moving around)

The total meaning of karaga is bearing the diety on head without touching by hand moving around.


Legend associated with Karaga festival:
            Legend has it that in the last part of Mahabharat, a glimpse of hell was revealed to the Pandavas. At that time one demon called Tripurasura was still alive. Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, decided to kill the demon. She took the form of Shakti devi and gathered a large army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After a huge fight the demon was defeated. The soldiers asked Draupadi to stay back with them. Draupadi could not keep their request, but she promised them that she would visit them every year during the first full moon of the first month of the Hindu calendar. The Tigalas believe that they are the descendants of the Veerakumaras and they welcome Draupadi on this date every year by observing the festival.


                       

Celebration of the Karaga Festival:
                    It is believed that aadishakti droupadi will come down from heaven to earch and stay for 3 days with the community people. In this connection community people will perform vartha for 11 days in a year from the day of Chaitra shrashti to 11 days. The details of varta is given bellow:

Dwajarohana:

The vrata start with dwajarohana on chaitrashrashti day. The kula gouda of the community, dasaiah, kolkara and veerakumaras bring the temple karthas like ganachari, gante pujari, karga pujari pootharaj pujari to the temple. The kula ppurohita performs the shuddhikarya of the temple followed by utsava of Arjun and droupadi along with dwaja. After that the devotees ofjaranahalli offer bamboo pole having 48 shoots to the temple as a tradition.the kula kurohota performs abhisheka, shanti puja, dwajarohana along with karaga pijari in the brahmi muhuurtha. After the Dwajarohana temple Karthas Chaakaridharas, Veerakumaras gets in to Deeksha by wearing Kankana and secred thread by this Vratha commences.


Shuddi Karya

Thirtha Snana (Holi bath) on the eve of Shakthi Aradhane and to receive Adishakthi to this earth it is customary to make eternal Shuddi, Shanthi, For this purpose Shuddi Karya and Thirtha Snana will take place in 8 directions in the city from the next day of dwajarohana. The Thirtha Snana will take place along with Thrishula, Bhandhara Chati, Kalasha, Ghante, Dhamaruga, Manthradanda and Baku, Karaga Pujari, Gante Pujari, Chatri Chamara, Nadaswara and Banka Dasaiah. It is believed that the Potharaja Pujari with Thrishula, the sound of Banka, the Power of Bandhara Chati and Kalasha will clear all the evil forces on the earth. After reaching the specific place the suddhi karya take place. The Karaga poojari will take holy bath and perform pooja, by praying Goddess to keep away the evil forces from the holy place.

Aarathi Utsava ( festival of lights)

On the sixty day of Karaga Festival, i.e. on Yekadashi Aarathi Seva will be performed. On this day ladies of the community prepare the aarathi with rice floor and decorates it with flower and performe pooja. By evening 6 pm four batches of seva karthas will move in four directions and receive pooja from the community. Each group will have ‘Kontha’(Trishula). ‘Gante’, ‘Panju’ and “Nadaswara’. After performing aarathi pooja at home, they will bring the aarathees to the temple. After assembling in the temple, the aarathis will go for a "Pradakshana" of the temple at 3 am on the 7th day. This procession will be led by the ‘Garadi Children’ showing their heroic talents like, ‘Kolu Varase’, ‘Kathi Varase’, ‘Kombu Varase’, ’Musti Yuddha’. After this procession, the Maha Mangalarathi will be held in the temple by around 6 am.

            On the 7th day, i.e. on ‘Thrayodashi’, after ‘Theertha Snana’ the Durga Poojari will conduct the ‘Dheeksha Pradhana Yagna’. The Kula Gowdas and Ganachari introduce the interested youths of community who seek ‘Dheeksha’. The Durga Poojari perform the Yagna(the God of Fire) with mantra patina. People who take dheeksha will be taught in ‘Alagu Seva’ and the principles to be followed. On the same day at 7:30 pm the main chariot ‘Kalashas’ are purified through shudhi and shanthi karya by Kula Purohitha. After this, the ‘Kankana’, ‘Mudupu’ and ‘Pavithra Dara’ (the sacred thread) tied to the north east corner of the chariot, followed by placement of ‘Kalasas’, ’Chatra’, and ’Dwaja’ on the top of chariot. After this the decoration of chariot will take place which will be ready by Chaitra Poornima Day.
        After kalasa prathisthapana, the Karaga poojari along with Ganachari, Gante Poojari, Potharaju Poojari, Chakridara and Veerakumaras offer Bali or Gaavoo Anna (Turmeric Cooked Rice) to Astadikpalakas in the 8th directions to help and co-operate in Karaga Shakthyothsava. The process will be held for further two days.

Hasi karaga:

The Shakthi Peeta situated in the Sampangi tank bed area. This peeta withstands the power and also attract the devotees during the time of Karaga shakthi aradhana moves towards the temple during this period the veerakumaras will resume the kankana deekshapower from kula purohitha and get blessings from karthas like Kulagowda, bankadasayya. The Potharaja Poojari offer Gandha to all veerakumaras andr Gaotees and Kula Gouda offer garlands to all karthas, Chakridaras, Veerakumara and devotees. Hasi Karaga takes place near the Sampangi Tank which is one of the oldest tanks in Bangalore. The whole place is decorated with flowers, lights and leaves. The devotees wait for hours together to get a glimpse of the Goddess as the procession takes place. On this day the Veerakumars, Ganacharis, Gantepoojaris, Poojaris, Kula Purohitha perform poojas near the Sampangi Tank. They clean the entire place, keep ready the pooja items and give a holy bath to the Karaga bearer. Then the Kulapurohitha tie Kankana to Veerakumaras. The attire of the Veerakumaras are a white colour pyjama along with a red cloth tied tightly around their waist. A golden threaded turban is tied around their heads. A white and red colour nama is drawn on their forehead and hold swords in their hands. The Hasi Karaga is decorated with red cloth, jewellery and flowers and placed on a Peetha (altar) in the "Mantapa". Along with this a Magical Stick and Knife is also placed. The Karaga Bearer then performs pooja to this. At this time the Veerakumaras burn camphor and Devotees start chanting the name of the Lord Govinda. The Veerakumaras then start to pray saying "Govindo, Dhik Dhee" which means Lord Govinda(Krishna) "show us the way". They perfrom "Alagu Sevai" in which they hit themselves forcibliy on the chest with their swords.At the same time , amidst burning camphor the Poojaris, Gante Poojaris take a processsion around the altar chanting the name of the Lord Govinda.

The Hasi Karaga will be placed at the centre of Garbha Gruha(Sanctrum). This is the important and sacred Uthsava and believed that Adhishakthi Draupadi live in this holy place in the form of Hasi Karaga.

Pongal seve

ladies of the community assemble and make Pongal Prasada to offer Adhishakthi Draupadi Devi.

Huvin karag:

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.

Arati Uthsava Route:
                The arti utsava takes its route starting from Dharmaraya Swamy Temple marches towards Kumbarapete along with Nagatherapete main road then finally ends where inside the temple. After this procession, the Maha Mangalarathi will be held in the temple by around 6 am. Along the procession the arti bearer women group are led by the men, kids performing the sword fighting, fire playing . The men group also display different battle ground techniques such as breaking coconut by sword, cutting the banana placed on chest by sword etc . This is watched by hundreds of people gathered on the streets

Vasanthothsava:

The eleventh day is the last day of the vratha. The karthas and veerakumaras will assemble near temple under the leadership of Gowda, Gnachar, Chakridaras at 4 pm As a mark of successful completion of the Karaga shakthyotsava function the vasanthotsava will be celebrated. The ancient games of aiming target, some time naked eyes, some time closed eyes. The ladies will bring turmeric water and fill the drums kept for the purpose. The youngsters throw the turmeric water on the opposite party to disturb their object beating. Totally the vasantha vuthsava ends with joy and happiness. The same day night 10:30 pm the uthsava of lord Arjuna and Draupadi will be conducted, and the Dwaaja Awarohana(Descending of the flag which as raised on first day of the Karagashakthyotsava) will be held. Pooja will be conducted to dwajadanda (flag poll) and Mahamangalarathi will be performed. The veerakumaras will unite their kankana and sacred threads and surrender the same to the temple. At the same time all the karthas and veerakumars under the leadership of the Kulagowda and Gantepoojari, take chakridaras and leave them to their respective houses respectfully. With this the eleven days Vrathacharana of colourful and flower full "Karagashakthyotsava" will come to an end.