Hundreds of devotees and members of Tigala community took part in the Hoovina Karaga on Tuesday night as part of the annual Karaga festival.
A Jnanendra, the Karaga carrier offered puja at Dharmaraya Swamy temple and symbolically flagged off the Karaga procession. Dressed as a woman, Jnanendra, one of the priests from the temple was the cynosure of everyones eyes. As he stepped outside the temple after offering prayers with sword in one hand and Karaga on his head, devotees chanted Govinda Govinda amid drum rolls and sounds from musical instruments.
The Karaga procession passed Gollarapet, Tigalarapet, Kumbarpet, Akkipet, Aralepet and around KR Market. People showered flowers on Hoovina Karaga as the procession passed.
Before the procession, Jnanendra offered prayers to Draupadi at Cubbon Park Shakti Peetha. The community members later honoured him by offering a sari, bangles and fruits after which he was taken to the temple. At around 10 pm, he was adorned with necklaces and a turmeric coloured sari to make him look like a bride. The Karaga, organised by the temple management every year, began on April 3 this year.
6 lakh Tigalas in Bengaluru
Karaga festival committee member K Lakshmana said there are six lakh Tigalas in the city and 80% of them are engaged in horticulture. "The rest own mandis and run small businesses." He added that Karaga is being organised at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh and is borne by the temple management and the BBMP.
Long history
One of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru, Karaga has a long history and is believed to have been practised during the Mahabharata era.
Tigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last demon Tripurasura was still alive. During this time, Draupadi, the Pandavas wife took the form of Shakthi Devi and created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After the defeat of the demon, the soldiers appealed to Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. She promised them that she would come back to earth once every year.![]( "Camphor being burnt as part of Karaga celebrations in front of Dharmarayaswamy Temple on Tuesday. DH photo")
Hundreds of devotees and members of Tigala community took part in the 'Hoovina Karaga' on Tuesday night as part of the annual Karaga festival.
A Jnanendra, the Karaga carrier offered puja at Dharmaraya Swamy temple and symbolically flagged off the Karaga procession. Dressed as a woman, Jnanendra, one of the priests from the temple was the cynosure of everyone's eyes. As he stepped outside the temple after offering prayers with sword in one hand and Karaga on his head, devotees chanted 'Govinda Govinda' amid drum rolls and sounds from musical instruments.
The Karaga procession passed Gollarapet, Tigalarapet, Kumbarpet, Akkipet, Aralepet and around KR Market. People showered flowers on Hoovina Karaga as the procession passed.
Before the procession, Jnanendra offered prayers to Draupadi at Cubbon Park Shakti Peetha. The community members later honoured him by offering a sari, bangles and fruits after which he was taken to the temple. At around 10 pm, he was adorned with necklaces and a turmeric coloured sari to make him look like a bride. The Karaga, organised by the temple management every year, began on April 3 this year.
6 lakh Tigalas in Bengaluru
Karaga festival committee member K Lakshmana said there are six lakh Tigalas in the city and 80% of them are engaged in horticulture. "The rest own mandis and run small businesses.” He added that Karaga is being organised at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh and is borne by the temple management and the BBMP.
Long history
One of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru, Karaga has a long history and is believed to have been practised during the Mahabharata era.
Tigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last demon Tripurasura was still alive. During this time, Draupadi, the Pandava's wife took the form of Shakthi Devi and created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After the defeat of the demon, the soldiers appealed to Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. She promised them that she would come back to earth once every year.
A Jnanendra, the Karaga carrier offered puja at Dharmaraya Swamy temple and symbolically flagged off the Karaga procession. Dressed as a woman, Jnanendra, one of the priests from the temple was the cynosure of everyones eyes. As he stepped outside the temple after offering prayers with sword in one hand and Karaga on his head, devotees chanted Govinda Govinda amid drum rolls and sounds from musical instruments.
The Karaga procession passed Gollarapet, Tigalarapet, Kumbarpet, Akkipet, Aralepet and around KR Market. People showered flowers on Hoovina Karaga as the procession passed.
Before the procession, Jnanendra offered prayers to Draupadi at Cubbon Park Shakti Peetha. The community members later honoured him by offering a sari, bangles and fruits after which he was taken to the temple. At around 10 pm, he was adorned with necklaces and a turmeric coloured sari to make him look like a bride. The Karaga, organised by the temple management every year, began on April 3 this year.
6 lakh Tigalas in Bengaluru
Karaga festival committee member K Lakshmana said there are six lakh Tigalas in the city and 80% of them are engaged in horticulture. "The rest own mandis and run small businesses." He added that Karaga is being organised at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh and is borne by the temple management and the BBMP.
Long history
One of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru, Karaga has a long history and is believed to have been practised during the Mahabharata era.
Tigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last demon Tripurasura was still alive. During this time, Draupadi, the Pandavas wife took the form of Shakthi Devi and created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After the defeat of the demon, the soldiers appealed to Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. She promised them that she would come back to earth once every year.
Hundreds of devotees and members of Tigala community took part in the 'Hoovina Karaga' on Tuesday night as part of the annual Karaga festival.A Jnanendra, the Karaga carrier offered puja at Dharmaraya Swamy temple and symbolically flagged off the Karaga procession. Dressed as a woman, Jnanendra, one of the priests from the temple was the cynosure of everyone's eyes. As he stepped outside the temple after offering prayers with sword in one hand and Karaga on his head, devotees chanted 'Govinda Govinda' amid drum rolls and sounds from musical instruments.
The Karaga procession passed Gollarapet, Tigalarapet, Kumbarpet, Akkipet, Aralepet and around KR Market. People showered flowers on Hoovina Karaga as the procession passed.
Before the procession, Jnanendra offered prayers to Draupadi at Cubbon Park Shakti Peetha. The community members later honoured him by offering a sari, bangles and fruits after which he was taken to the temple. At around 10 pm, he was adorned with necklaces and a turmeric coloured sari to make him look like a bride. The Karaga, organised by the temple management every year, began on April 3 this year.
6 lakh Tigalas in Bengaluru
Karaga festival committee member K Lakshmana said there are six lakh Tigalas in the city and 80% of them are engaged in horticulture. "The rest own mandis and run small businesses.” He added that Karaga is being organised at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh and is borne by the temple management and the BBMP.
Long history
One of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru, Karaga has a long history and is believed to have been practised during the Mahabharata era.
Tigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last demon Tripurasura was still alive. During this time, Draupadi, the Pandava's wife took the form of Shakthi Devi and created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After the defeat of the demon, the soldiers appealed to Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. She promised them that she would come back to earth once every year.
