Karaga Shaktyotsava
Karaga Shaktyotsava - One of the oldest and most important festival of Bangalore
One of the oldest and most important festival of Bangalore is the Karaga Shaktyotsava. It is the Adhishakthi Droupadi festival. The expansion of KARAGA is 'KA' (without touching in hand), 'RA' (bearing on the head), 'GA' (moving around). Those who participate in the karaga, will bear the deity on their head without touching by hand and move around.
It is a well-known tradition of Thigala community in southern karnataka. It is led by the men of Thigala community and there is a legend that gives them the priviledge. The Karaga festival is generally led by the men of the Thigala community. There is a legend which gives them this privilege. They believe that in the last part of Mahabharatha, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last Asura (Demon) called Tripurasura was still alive. Draupadi, the Pandava's wife, took Shakthi devi form and created a huge army of soldiers called veerakumaras. After defeating the Asura, the soldiers asked Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. As she had to go back, she promised them that every year during the first month of Hindu calendar, she would come to stay with them. The Thigalas believe that they belong to this community of soldiers and they believe that the goddess Adishakthi Draupadi will come and stay with them for three days. So they will perform vrathas for 11 days in a year from the day of Chaitra Shrasthi.
The Thigalas believe that Draupadi brims over during the Karaga festival. The person who carries Karaga in his head will dress himself as a female, symbolic of Draupadi. It is a high ritualistic significance for Thigalas and they celebrate Draupadi, as they believe she is an ideal woman. 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 mantap on the banks of the tank.
The Karaga is a tall floral pyramid which is balanced on the carrier's head. The Hasi-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. The Karaga procession starts from Dharmaraya Swamy Temple with flag raising ceremony called Dwajarohana. Yellow flag is hoisted inside the temple courtyard.
First day starts with prayers offered by priest, veerakumaras, who wore sacred thread (kankana) on their wrist and Janivara - thread worn as a band over their left shoulder. Through the night, worship is offered to Karaga along its route. At the Dharmaraya Swamy temple, people keep singing devotional songs till the karaga returns back to the temple. Five hereditary clan families are involved in the tradition. All the rituals are steeped in secrecy.
From Second day till the Sixth day, aarthis are taken in the evenings at Cubbon Park shakti peeta and then at other 8 water sources.
On the Sixth day aarthi is performed by ladies to Goddess Draupadi Devi.
On the Seventh day Hasi-Karaga (tender Karaga) is brought from a salt water pond near the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple. It is believed that Karaga-carrier will meditate in the pond and suddenly feels a weight on his head. Holding the Karaga, he will be brought to the Dharmaraya Swamy temple escorted by the veerakumaras and the karaga will be placed next to Dharmaraya idol. At this point it becomes the karaga. Many rituals are performed and worship is offered to the God. Dancing and singing are performed at this point.
On the Eighth day, Veerakumaras wives perform Pongal seva to the goddess. Then on the pournami day, the marriage of the goddess and the utsav murtis are taken in a procession.
On the Tenth day, shanthi pooja is performed to Potha raja, a protector and Pandavas brother-in-law.
And the Eleventh day is the vasantha utsava day, on that day all rituals pertaining to the festival will end and the karaga flag will be unfurled.
Starting from the first day till the end of the festival, cooked rice mixed with various spices are offered to people free of cost.
Karaga is a unique celebration that brings people of different religions together.
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