Abstract
Karaga Jatre/procession is observed in Thigalarapete in Bangalore, India with religious fervour by a community known to be warriors and gardeners who have part of history for more than four hundred years. The scale is huge, with close to half a million people attending the eleven-day festival in the heart of the city of Cosmopolitan Bangalore, now known as Bengaluru. It is unique because in the canvas of India, the facets of communal harmony come to the core through this festival and so many others. However, with the changes in time and modernity appearing with new generations coming to the fore in greater numbers, will we as a people be able to hold on to the cultural ethos of a time that has gotten us to freeze in history and heritage? The researchers ask the primordial question regarding the future of this festival, and if it will be in the same shape and form. How should the federal and provincial governments intervene to ensure the festival, the Jatre moves ahead, binding us as humanity.
TopIntroduction
The Karaga Jatre (Yatra/Procession)
Spread over eleven days, the Karaga Jatre originates from a ritual dedicated to Draupadi, who is known locally as Droupadamma and has its origins in the Mahabharata (fight between Draupadi and demon Timirasura whilst the Pandavas were ascending heaven) and signifies the emergence of Adishakti Draupadi as a symbol of strength and feminity; and the festival of Karaga is the symbolism of Draupadi coming to earth once every year for ten-days. Karaga is the decorated earthen pot which is several feet in height, made of unbaked clay and carries water, as a representation of Goddess Ganga (Gange Puje/Pooja). Accompanied by dancers from the Thigala (Vaniya Kula Kshtriyas) (originally from the Tamil country) community (oldest social grouping of the city who are agriculturists and grew vegetables and flowers) of Bangalore (now Bengaluru) and the Veerakumaras dressed in white trousers (earlier dhotis), with turbans and being bare chested for the Jatre, carry swords (Katti) and beat them on their chests whilst reciting ‘Govinda’……..‘dik-di dik-di,’ (Lord Govinda/Krishna…..show us the way) as the pot carrier (Karaga) dressed as female in the form of Draupadi moves around the city of Old Bengaluru. The carrier of the pot, the priest is identified six-months prior to the Jatre that takes place during March/April breaks off from the family, wherein the wife lives the life of a widow, and priest now living as a woman (Draupadi) in the Dharmaraya Swamy temple, built by the Thigala community over eight hundreds ago, where besides Draupadi, Krishna, Dharmaraya (Yudhishtir), Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva are worshipped. It is the presence of the priest for six-month, which enables the him to usher in the characteristics of the Goddess in himself.
The Thigalas call themselves by various names, which essentially are sub-groups (Select Venue, 2021); Vahni Kuladavaru, following the Lunar calendar (hence all festivities take place after moonrise), Shambhu Kula Kshatriya, and Agnikula Kshatriya, follow the Solar calendar (hence celebrate all festivities linked to Karaga during the daytime). Most of them even consider themselves to be the descendants of Agni Banniraya. The community is found in Bangalore, Mysore, Dharwad, but today, one can see them on account of education, position in the society, migrating to other parts of the world as well. There traditional occupations have been to manage the Kitchen and the flower gardens. Though at a stage in life many moved to agriculture, white and blue collared jobs as well; besides Government service. They speak Kannada (Language of Karnataka) and Tamil (Language of Tamil Nadu) as their mother tongue. Govindarajan (2014) reports that, “….some even believe that they spoke a mix of Tamil, Kannada and Telugu languages, at a point in time would have had their own script……”
The Thigalas are known to be the devotees of Dharmaraya, the first Pandava; but amongst the Thigalas, there are both Shaivas and Vaishnavas. Besides, Dharmaraya, the Thigalas also worship, Maramma, Kollapuramma, Yellamma and Siddedevaru. Ulli Thigala (Karnataka) and Arava Thigala or the Dharmarayana Vokkalu are two endogamous divisions in the Thigala community. Though there are many exogamous divisions within the major systems that have evolved into castes. Karaga festival is the one that units them all, irrespective of caste or any other division structure. In a way the Karaga festival and other festivities that are part of the eleven-day event, brings all of the Thigalas together, who celebrate the same with all religious fervor and belief that has held them together for hundreds of years now. True to their origins, the Thigalas are a warrior community, who were protected Draupadi and they consider themselves as the offshoots of Veerakumars, hence, the warrior status for the community (Govindarajan, 2014).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Mahime: ‘The Glory,’ Here it is the glory of the place, the glory of Dharmaraya Temple dedicated the Pandavas of the Mahabharat.
Pete (pet): Town/downtown. A place in the chapter: Thigalarapete, Ulsoorpet, Nagarthpet, Cubbonpet, Ganigarapet, Doddapet, Aralepet, Balepet, Kumbarpet and Gollarpet (see Illustration 4 to understand the pete concept).
Kote: This is a fort.
Katti: Sword. That is carried by the Veerakumaras.
Pooja (Puje/Puja/Poojah): Hinduism, ceremonial worship, ranging from brief daily rites in the home to elaborate temple rituals. The word puja is derived from the Dravidian pu (“flower”). In its simplest form, puja usually consists of making an offering of flowers or fruit to an image of a god.
Adi-Shakti: Literally, the primal, first power.
Jatre: This is a procession.
Veerakumaras: A community of warrirors who protect Draupadi/Draupadamma. The Thigalas considered themselves as Veerakumaras.
Tota: This is a garden.
Naadu: This is country. Here the reference is to the State of Karnataka.
Hakki: This is a bird (Bird Festival/ Hakki Habba ).
Swadesh Darshan: Sight-seeing of the home country, herein case, India.
Naari-Shakti: This means ‘Power of the Woman.’
Habba: This is a festival.
Dekho Apna Desh: This means ‘See your own Country’ (this was to primarily promote Domestic Tourism in India).
Kere: This is a pond.
Punya Bhoomi: This means Holy Land.
Thigalas (Tigala): A Community of warriors and gardeners who are considered as the Veerakumars protecting Draupadi/Draupadamma.