An ancient folk festival dedicated to Draupadi, the Karaga is a festival that is a fine example of religious and societal tolerance.
One of the oldest festivals of Bangalore, Karaga is celebrated by the Vahnikula Kshatriyas from the Tigala community, who, as per legend, are believed to have been born from Draupadi.
The 11-day festival happens at Dharmaraya Swamy temple at Nagarthpet, and the priest is celibate when the preparations are underway. A special bamboo is bought on foot from Anjnapura, and a flag is hoisted to signal the start of the festival.
A large flower pyramid is atop the pot and weighs about 30 kilograms. Each of the days has special significance with music, dance, fire walking and more, and the male priest dresses up as a female as part of the procession. The procession also stops at Sufi saint Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan Baba’s shrine to receive blessings from there.
Read the full story that first appeared in The New Indian Express dated Jan 25, 2026 here:
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