Bagepalli Dharmaraya Karaga 2025 | Santu Explorer

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బాగేపల్లి ధర్మరాయ స్వామి కారగ ఉత్సవం అనేది కర్నాటక రాష్ట్రం, చిత్తూరు జిల్లాకు సమీపంగా ఉన్న బాగేపల్లి పట్టణంలో జరిపే ఒక ప్రాచీన హిందూ జాతర. ఈ ఉత్సవం ముఖ్యంగా ధర్మరాయ స్వామికి అంకితంగా జరుగుతుంది. ధర్మరాయ స్వామి క్షత్రియ దేవుడిగా భావించబడతారు మరియు ఆయనను పాండవుల వంశానికి చెందినదిగా కొందరు విశ్వసిస్తారు.

Bagepalli Karaga is a traditional and spiritually significant festival celebrated in Bagepalli, a town located in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka, near the border of Andhra Pradesh. It is a unique form of the Karaga festival, deeply rooted in regional folklore, devotion, and community tradition.

Key Features of Bagepalli Karaga:

Dedication: The Karaga is dedicated to Dharamaraya Swamy, believed to be a manifestation of the Pandava prince Dharma Raja (Yudhishthira). The festival honors him as a guardian deity and protector of dharma.

Karaga Carrier (Karaga Bearer): A male devotee, after undergoing rigorous fasting and purification rituals, dresses in a female attire symbolizing Shakti (Divine Mother) and carries the Karaga—a sacred pot adorned with flowers—on his head.

Rituals and Procession: The Karaga bearer leads a grand procession at night, visiting various temples and households. It is believed that the pot should not fall or shake—doing so is considered inauspicious.

Community Involvement: People from various communities participate in the festival with devotion. Traditional folk dances, drumming, martial arts (like sword shows), and rituals create an electrifying spiritual atmosphere.

Timing: The festival is usually celebrated during the Chaitra month (March–April), especially on the full moon day (Purnima).

Cultural Significance: Beyond religion, the Karaga reflects the cultural unity and folk heritage of southern Karnataka. It is similar in spirit to the Bangalore Karaga, but with its own local customs.