This year, Karaga may follow a different route

The Karaga festival that began with traditional rituals on Thursday may come across roadblocks during the grand procession due to the BBMP’s white-topping work.

Organisers said the procession would avoid the road before the Kengeri police station as it is piled with materials for white-topping.

“This is one of the traditional routes we take for the procession,” said A Rajagopal, president, Dharmarayaswamy Temple Management Committee. “There are other roads connecting to the Kengeri railway station that can’t be used as well. We’ll take alternate routes.”

The 11-day community festival began on Thursday with the hoisting of the flag (Dwajarohana) at 4 am, followed by a special puja at Karagada Kunte at Cubbon Park on Friday.

Special pujas are scheduled at many places like Sampige kere (lake), Muneshwaraswamy temple at Lalbagh 3rd Cross, Annamma temple at SC Road and Mariswami mutt at Kalasipalya till April 15. The festival will have other rituals until April 18.

The grand procession on April 19 will begin from the Dharmarayaswamy temple in Tigalarapet and will proceed through streets of Ulsoorpet, Nagarthpet, Cubbonpet, Ganigarapet, Avenue Road, Doddapet, Aralepet, Balepet, Kumbarpet and Gollarapet before returning to the temple.

Organisers have requested people not to fling sandalwood or turmeric powder, kumkum and bananas at the karaga bearers as it would disturb the balancing of the water-filled and flower-decked ritual pot on their heads.

“Devotees should only offer jasmine flowers,” Rajagopal said.