BENGALURU: The historical Karaga Shaktiyotsava festival, one of the important and oldest religious events in Bengaluru, will be held on April 12 at Sree Dharmaraya Swamy Temple at Thigalarapet in Old Bengaluru. The festival has its links to Mahabharata, with the Karaga Shaktiyotsava marking Draupadi’s return.
The festival, which began on April 4, will go on till April 14, with the Karaga to be held on April 12, the full moon night of the Chaitra month. Jnanendra Vanhikula Gowda, who has carried the Karaga 14 times, will again carry the ritualistic floral pyramid symbolic of Draupadi this year too, and lead the traditional procession on the night of April 12, covering many pete areas (the city’s oldest settlements) and reach the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple before sunrise.
Sri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple president K Sathish said, “All measures have been taken to ensure that the Karaga is celebrated in a big way. People who take part in the festival bring their own swords, vastra (clothing), jasmine, and diyas for aarti. But this year, all of these will be made available at the temple.”
The Karaga-carrying priest, Jnanendra, and the Veerakumaras (army of warriors), have been visiting several parts of the city since April 4 as part of the pooja.
He said facilities have been made for ‘prasada’ (sacred food) distribution every day for 2,000 people, starting April 4 till the end of the festival.