User:DOOPANAHALLI . THE GOLD

Doopanahalli is a small township located in the eastern part of Bangalore city in India. Eariler it was known as dukanahalli ,Sambrani Dhoop,it is sambrani powder used to prepare in this area so it is called doop halli ,so name came dukanahalli or Doopanahalli, one more name as joined THE GOLD to the doopanahalli means(Doopanahalli the gold) people will ask how ,in our area military force is attached to our border area, ours is mainly agriculture , pudina (the mint)our pudina leaves is highly demand in market and one of our farmer has put vegetables in his field, when vegetable  grows the British people will take away vegetables ,some farmers saw and they catch them and tied to tree , higher authority came to village and said sorry and he praised the people atlast, he told people of doopanahalli is gold. It happened before independence of our country

There are many temples in area, Grama devath. muthyallamma, sathyamma, maheshawarmma.

1 Ganesha temple

2 Muthyalamma ,sathyamma temple

3 Maheshwaramma temple

4 Ram temple (hanuman god is oldest, more than 150 years )

5 yellamma temple (5 yellamma)

6 muneshwara temple

7 bhuvaneshwari temple

8 gangamma temple

9 om shakhi temple

10 poogavanthama temple

surronding areas of doopanahalli are

north Appareddy palya

east Thippasandra

west Ulsoor

south Domlur

Bengaluru Karaga (Kannada ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಕರಗ) is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru. Bengaluru Karaga is primarily a well-known tradition of Thigala community in southern Karnataka. The Karaga festival is generally led by the men of the community. There is a legend which gives them this privilege. Thigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharatha, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last Asura (Demon) called Tripurasura was still alive. At this time, Draupadi, the Pandava's wife, took the form of Shakthi devi. She created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After defeating the Asura, the soldiers asked Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. Though she had to go back, she promised them that she would come to stay with them every year during the first month of the Hindu calendar.[1] Thigalas believe that they belong to this cThe roots of Karaga go back over five centuries, and to the Thigala community which has kept the festival alive over the centuries. Mystery shrouds the origin of the Thigalas. By one account, the Thigalas sprung form the loins of the sage Angirasa whose progeny were the founders of most of the dynasties of South India.ommunity of soldiers.This is the festival of Adhishakthi Draupadi.

The literary meaning of Karaga is expanded and explained as Ka + Ra + Ga. Expansion of the word KARAGA

ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಕ್ಷರದಲ್ಲಿ	ಕನ್ನಡ ಬಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲಿ 	Character	In English

ಕ	ಕೈಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಟ್ತದೆ	 KA	 - Without touching in hand

ರ	ರುಂಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಧರಾಸಿ	 RA - 	Bearing on the head

ಗ	ಗತಿಸುವುದು / ಚಲಿಸುವುದು	 GA - 	Moving around

Participants in the Karaga bear the deity on their head without touching by hand and moving around. It is believed that the goddess Adishakthi Draupadi will come down from heaven to earth and stay for three days with the community. In this connection the community will perform Vratha (religious practice) for 11 days in a year from the day of Chaitra Shrasthi.

The Thigalas believe that Draupadi Shakti (power) brims over during the Karaga festival and the Karaga carrier dressing as a female is symbolic of Draupadi.It is a high ritualistic significance for Thigalas and they celebrate Draupadi, as they believe she is an ideal woman. The Karaga itself is a tall floral pyramid that is balanced on the carrier's head. The Karaga leaves the temple around midnight. The goddess is brought for the darshan of the devotees from the temple on the head of the Karaga-bearer.

Karaga is a unique celebration that brings people of different religions together. Karaga commences with the flag-hoisting ceremony on the night of Saptami, the seventh day of the bright half of Chaitra, the first month in the Hindu calendar. It is on this day that the Kumbha or the holy pot, called the "Hasi Karaga," is made from the sediment of the Sampangi Tank. Later in the night, the Karaga is installed in a mantapa on the banks of the tank.

Traditionally, the festivities begin with the recitation of mantras (incantations) and the hoisting of a ceremonial flag on the banks of Bengaluru’s Sampangi tank. On the seventh day Hasi-Karaga (tender Karaga) is brought from a salt water pond near the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple. Legend has it that Karaga carrier while in deep meditation in the waist deep water in the pond suddenly feels a weight on his head. Holding the object like he would a baby, he goes to the Sampangi tank. Then the object is brought back to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple and placed next to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple and placed next to the idol of Dharma. At this point it becomes the Karaga.

The Karaga is expertly balanced on the carrier's head. The carrier, in his temporary avatar as Draupadi, goes to the houses of the veerakumaras where their families perform pooja to the Karaga. The carrier is practically in a trance even as he dances along with the veerakumaras (who are carrying their swords). By the time the procession returns to the temple it is dawn.

Karaga – The Festival of Thigala Clan

Mesmerizing Nadaswaram MENU0:00 Scintillating nadaswaram played every year during the time of Karaga festival. Problems listening to this file? See media help. Every year, the Thigalas celebrate a festival called Karaga. The story of the Karaga is also rooted in the Mahabharata.Draupadi is the community deity of the Vanhikula Kshytriyas. The Karaga is an annual celebration of her as the ideal woman and of woman-power (Mother Goddess). The Karaga is a pot on which is a floral cone. This cone is taken in procession from the historic Dharmaraya Swamy Temple in the Thigalara-peytey area of the old City, through the night.

Throughout the night there is worship offered to the Karaga along its route. At the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple location, people continuously sing devotional hymns, leading the people in their group for singing and chanting. A large number of people wait at the temple for the Karaga’s return.

Karaga commences with the all important flag raising ceremony called Dwajarohana. The Yellow flag is hoisted inside the temple courtyard where the flag is hoisted on a bamboo flag pole and on the first day the veerakumaras and the priest have Janivara(thread worn as a band over the left shoulder) and sacred kankana(sacred thread) tied on their wrist, only then can they do sevae(serve) to her.

Prayers are offered by the priest, veerakumaras and chaakrigars. Five hereditary clan families are involved in the tradition. All the rituals are steeped in secrecy. From 2nd to 6th days, in the evenings aarthi takes place at the Cubbon Park shakti peeta, and then at other 8 water sources. On the 6th day ladies pray to Draupadi Devi with an elaborate aarati.

The 7th day is hase Karaga when symbolically the goddess is readied for her marriage. She emerges from the kere (tank), readied as a woman fully decked up like a bride, and by another secret ritual she carries the kalasha(pot). The veerakumaras pay their obeisance to her and escort her to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple.

The 8th day is Pongal sevae done by the wives of the veerae daras to the goddess. On the pournami day the marriage of the goddess and the utsav murtis are taken in a procession. The 10th day is shanthi pooje to Potha raja, also a protector and the brother in law to the Pandavas. The 11th day is vasanth utsava, all rituals pertaining to the festival will end the Karaga flag will be unfurled.

The Karaga returns to the Temple in the morning. Much dancing and singing happens at this point. Worship is offered at the temple. Many rituals are performed and the festival is brought to an end. Throughout the period of the festival, cooked rice mixed with various spices are offered to people free of cost.

The purpose of Karaga Draupadi is a form of shakti that Dharmaraya worshipped. It was for peace that this Karaga is meant for. Draupadi devi is not installed in the temple here at the time of Karaga. She is put in as a chakrastapane, so that the devout get her darshan (view). Otherwise she is represented by a charka peeta. This representation of shakti is followed only by Thigalas. For over 800 years, the festival has been celebrated in the temple and never once has the goddess and chariot not left on their annual journey. Karaga Carrier

The Karaga carrier would be seen as a temporary avatar of Draupadi

A unique feature of the Karaga festival is that a man, dressed as a woman, carries the Karaga on his head. While a few say that it is a celebration of womanhood and femininity, a section claims that it is the result of Draupadi's curse. It is seen as an insult to Yudhistira, who let the Kauravas humiliate Draupadi in court.

In a gender-bending role that entails inter alia 11 days of asceticism, a man is chosen from the Acharya Pujari sect of the Tigala community, for it requires the physical strength of a male to carry the Karaga.

Karaga priest performs austerities since six months and he wears his wife’s mangala sutra (Holy knot), who gets it back by a marriage ceremony on the 10th day. She will not be seeing her husband from the time of Vijayadashami who will reside in the temple till the Karaga is over. So when the Karaga procession stops in front of her house, she, unlike the other devotees cannot come out to be blessed. On the lines of Vijayadashami celebration of Dussera or Dasara, so also on the final day it’s triumph of good that the Karaga celebrates.

Karaga enters the Sanctam Sanctorum in the temple and after a while amidst the chant of the name of Lord Govinda the vedas and mantras are recited and the music reaches the limits of the sky. At this moment the Karaga comes out of the Sanctam Sanctorum carrying the Karaga on his head. Aarathi is performed to the Karaga at both the Shri Ganesha and Goddess Muthyalamma temple.

Veerakumaras – their devotion with Goddess Draupadi

Veerkumaras offering their service to community deity Draupadi During Karaga festival hundreds of bare chested young men clad in only dhoti and turban participate in a procession they also carry swords with them. Such young men are called Veerkumaras (or veerakumararu) valiant young men. These people also wear red cloth called vastru or vastra to show their devotion to goddess Draupadi.However, only people belonging to the Thigala community can become veerkumaras. These young men strike the sword on their bare chests. If blood oozes out then they are considered an indication of the veerakumara’s failure to adhere to the ritualistic formalities required for the occasion and are eventually disqualified from the formal procedures.

The veerakumaras perform Alagusevai intoning the words Alalala-Di-Di-Di-Dhik-Dhee-Dhik-Dhee and striking their swords to their chests.Veerakumars will observe fasting till the festival gets over.

Another person to watch out for is the Karanga. Karanga carries earthen pots on his head and immerses the same in the Sampangni Tank. It is said that as the person walks from the temple holding the Karaga on his head he is surrounded by the sword men. In case the Karaga slips from his head or he loses his balance and falls the swords have a menacing significance because by tradition the carrier would be killed by these sword fighters. Over centuries this tradition has continued and it is dominant till today.

Sacrament After the flag hoisting, a band of veerakumaras, are initiated into strict penance.Incidentally, the veerakumaras are from the Thigala families who have made a Harake(vow) to Draupadi that they would send a veerakumara to the Karaga if their difficulties are solved.

Dedicated Clique Goudas are the announcers of Karaga, while Ganacharyas, Chakrigararu are the ordained sects in the vanhikula kshytriyas to carry the tradition of conducting the Karaga. Chakridararu are those who perform the various pooja activities at the time of Karaga. These include the Ghante poojaris (The priest who tolls the bell), who are the gurus and carry out the temple rituals, the kith of the Karaga priest, kith from the clan of potharaja.Banka Dasayya(Begule whistlers),Kolgaru/Kolkararu(Message criers),Gana Chari(Chief of the community). These five families have a Kula Purohita(Clan priest) who is a Brahmin performs hindu ritual called punya homa as per the shastras (sacred texts).

The pothraja family of the Thigala community will be the flag bearer and bring the flag to the temple in the procession.Overall management and supervision is done by ganacharyas. All these functionaries sharing a common attribute are supervised by the gowdas who ensure smooth functioning. Everything is very well balanced and perfectly timed as it was done some centuries ago.

[edit]Dwajarohana – raising of the flag The vratha starts with Dwajarohana on Chaitra Shrasthi day. The kula Gowda (Community chief) of the community, Dasaiah, Kolkara(Sevak) and Veera Kumaras bring the temple Karthas like Ganachaari, Gante Poojari, Karaga Poojari and Pootharaja Poojari (different Priest) to the temple.

The Kula Purohitha (Chief priest) performs Shuddi Kaarya (punyaha) of the temple followed by Utsava of Arjuna and Draupadi along with the Dwaja. After that the devotes of Jaraganahalli offer bamboo pole having 48 shoots to the temple as a tradition. The Kula Purohitha perform abhisheka, shanthi pooja and Dwajaarohana along with Karaga poojari in the Brahmi Muhurtha. After the Dwajarohana temple Karthas Chaakaridharas, Veerakumaras gets in to Deeksha by wearing Kankana and secred thread by this Vratha commences.

Shuddi Karya

Thirtha Snana (Holi bath) on the eve of Shakthi Aradhane and to receive Adishakthi to this earth it is customary to make eternal Shuddi, Shanthi, For this purpose Shuddi Karya and Thirtha Snana will take place in 8 directions in the city from the next day of dwajarohana. The Thirtha Snana will take place along with Thrishula, Bhandhara Chati, Kalasha,Ghante,Dhamaruga, Manthradanda and Baku, Karaga Pujari, Gante Pujari, Chatri Chamara, Nadaswara and Banka Dasaiah. It is believed that the Potharaja Pujari with Thrishula, the sound of Banka, the Power of Bandhara Chati and Kalasha will clear all the evil forces on the earth.

After reaching the specific place the suddhi karya take place.The Karaga poojari will take holy bath and perform pooja, by praying Goddess to keep away the evil forces from the holy place. The similar performances will be conducted on all the 8 days as follows.

The 6 Thirtha Snana Places

Direction	Respective Worshiping Places	Location North East South	muneshwara temple west   yellamma   temple

The pathchai Karagam

The very important of the Karaga Shakthyotsava Vratha will take place from here onwards. The Karthas of the Vthsava will offer the Prayer and Manthrapatana to absorb power from goddess Adhishakthi at Karagada Kunte from here they will proceed to Shakthipeetha, which is the processes of devatha kainkarya’s that are very sacred and secret not made known to others.

Pachu Kargu or Hasi Karga is would be carried by Karaga all the way from tank(kataramma temple ) to muthyalamma Swamy Temple

The Shakthi Peeta situated in the tank bed area. This peeta withstands the power and also attract the devotees during the time of Karaga shakthi aradhana moves towards the temple during this period the veerakumaras will resume the kankana deekshapower from kula purohitha and get blessings from karthas like Kulagowda, bankadasayya. The Potharaja Poojari offer Gandha to all veerakumaras andr Gaotees and Kula Gouda offer garlands to all karthas, Chakridaras, Veerakumara and devotees.

The Karpura(Camphor) burnt in the kana(sacred place) as a mark of sacrifice to deity since draupadi born from fire. In the specific time the power swings around this area. Then the veerakumaras start chanting Govinda Govinda and offer Alagu sevai Sevai in which they hit themselves forcibly on the chest with their swords by chanting Dhick-De, Dhick-De mantra. At the same time the Banka (long buga) will make a big sound. All these activities make the power waves to move forcibly around this sacred place. By this time the Karthas perform prayer and Manthrapatana on Adhishakthi.

The poojari will enter the shakthipeeta to join with karthas. The forced waves of power make the priest to resume divine power.

This is the powerful and wonderful sight to see the Karaga holding Manthradanda and Karaga in the left and Baku in the right hand. The Poojari is covered by Jasmine flowered Ragade (Flower Bunch covered from forehead to complete back portion feet). The priest appearance in the light of panju(the big cotton hand stick burnt with castor oil) will inspire the devotees to fall in deep Bhakthi. It is an experience that, even the meteriolists (Nasthika) will also become Asthika and respect the power of the shakthi.

The Karaga Bearer lifting the Hasi Karaga along with the sacred staff in the left hand and holds the silver dagger in the right hand Soon after this the karthas will make the way to start sanchara from Shakthipeeta to Temple thought shakthishala  It is a fact that, the Adhishakthi is known as a combined power of Srushti (Creation),Sthithi (Maintain) and Laya (Destruction) while moving we will recognise these observations. The karthas will give timely advice to the veerakumaras to make the way clear. They will follow the Hasi Karaga by chanting Govinda-Govinda, when make her way slow immediately they will start Alaguseva by chanting Hall-Hallow Dick-De mantra.

When shakthi movement raises with force in the crowd of devotees the karthas will start Natya mantras and make the priest to follow the steps to the Ganta-Nadha to bring her force to normal. the Hasi Karaga will put a break for a while and sit ina "Veera Mandi" position, Veerakumaras will offer Alaguseva and devotees pray lord Krishna and by chanting Govinda-Govinda nama in all the three places and it appears the Alaguseva of the Veerakumaras and prayers of the devotees is to please the shakthi movement to move towards temple. The Hasi Karaga will be placed at the centre of Garbha Gruha(Sanctrum). This is the important and sacred Uthsava and believed that Adhishakthi live in this holy place in the form of Hasi Karaga. The after regular Poojaadi Kainkaryas the ladies of the community assemble and make Pongal Prasada to offer Adhishakthi  Devi.In the midnight 1 o'clock the Uthsavakarthas assemble in the temple Gantepoojari and his family members start Bharatha Purana Kathana apprising the powers of  Devi. After purana Kathana during Arundodhaya the Pongal seva pooja will be offered to Adhishakthi Devi. This Uthsava will be dominated by ladies. They believe that goddess will be pleased for their seva and bless them and their family.

On the seventh day of festival Pache Karagun takes place near the Tank which is one of the oldest tanks in Bengaluru. The whole place is decorated with flowers, lights and leaves. The devotees wait for hours together to get a glimpse of the Goddess as the procession takes place Vasanthothsava The eleventh day is the last day of the vratha. The karthas and veerakumaras will assemble near temple under the leadership of Gowda, Gnachar, Chakridaras at 4 pm As a mark of successful completion of the Karaga shakthyotsava function the vasanthotsava will be celebrated. The ancient games of aiming target, some time naked eyes, some time closed eyes. The ladies will bring turmeric water and fill the drums kept for the purpose. The youngsters throw the turmeric water on the opposite party to disturb their object beating. Totally the vasantha vuthsava ends with joy and happiness.

The same day night 10:30 pm the uthsava of lord and the Dwaaja Awarohana(Descending of the flag which as raised on first day of the Karagashakthyotsava) will be held. Pooja will be conducted to dwajadanda (flag poll) and Mahamangalarathi will be performed. The veerakumaras will unite their kankana and sacred threads and surrender the same to the temple. At the same time all the karthas and veerakumars under the leadership of the Kulagowda and Gantepoojari, take chakridaras and leave them to their respective houses respectfully. With this the eleven days Vrathacharana of colourful and flower full "Karagashakthyotsava" will come to an end. The other pooja and uthsavas of the temple will continue throughout the year.

IN summer season rain is less ,so temple trust people will announce the amble pooja , doopanahalli people,ullare and half of kodihalli people will bring amble, amble means. making the paste of ragi powder and keeping in front of god ,doing pooja with a vessle with neem leaves and bringing to temple (gramadevath) they do pooja go round of temple 2 or 3 rounds ,trust people will collect amble and take to lake ,leave the amble in lake and come back ,this type of pooja will do for 3 times (tuesday,friday and sunday)

THE RAMA temple ,in rama temple there is hanuman pillar and it is more than 100 years old and it was protecting whole village of doopanahalli