Bengaluru raises above 'hate', temple committee and dargah decide to hold annual Karaga festival

Hindu-Muslims came together and decided to hold Bengaluru's famous karaga festival at Dharmarayaswamy temple. The Dargah peers delegation of Tawakkal Mastan walked up to the temple premises, held dua and blessed priest Janendraswamy of the temple to lead the karaga this time.

The Muslim leaders after meeting the temple committee said that this time also the karaga festival should be held jointly and follow the tradition of karaga reaching Dargha premises for a short time and give darshan.

As per reports, the karaga festival is over 300-years old and Tighala or Vanikula Kshetriya considers this a big occasion. Lakhs of devotees attend to see karaga. As per their belief, Draupadhi from epic Mahabharata deserves honor for what she went through. The community considers Draupadhi as the symbol of courage and ideal women and take out Karaga as a mark of respect to her.

Karaga means a mud pot and a bearer carries it on his head with floral decoration and places the Goddess's idol. The bearer from the community dresses as a woman and takes out a rally.

Why does karaga stop at Dargah?

It is said that around 300 years ago, the Tawakkal Mastan came to the city in search of business and impressed Hyder Ali who was the ruler then, and granted him a piece of land but Mastan asked the ruler to build a Masjid and serve people. At the same time, a Hindu philanthropist Dharmaraya asked Hyder Ali also to build a temple and a mutt to foster Hindu-Muslim brotherhood and the ruler did so. As a symbol of brotherhood, the Hindu priest takes out Karaga and reaches Dargha as a symbol of friendship even to this day during the annual Karaga festival.