Bangalore Karaga - The Role of Karthas

The Role of Karthas

The Karagashakthyotsava festival will be managed by Vyavasthpana Samithi (Temple Managing Committee). The managing committee will call the joint meeting with Temple Karthas including Kulagowda, Ganachari and Chakridaras for discussion and make necessary arrangements for the Karagashakthyotasava well in advance.

In the ‘Karaga’ festival, the role of five families is very significant i.e., the ‘Ganachari’,’Gante Poojari’,’Potharaja’,’Bhanka Dasaiah’ and the ‘Kolukara (messenger)’.

The required financial arrangements and material supply will be dealt by committee. The seva activities and Vrathacharane will be conducted by the karthas-kulagowdas, Gantepoojari and so-on. Entire religious and temple activities will be maintained under the guidelines of kulagowda and so on, whereas maintenance of the temple decoration, inviting guests, arranging cultural programme etc., will be managed by the temple managing committee. Whereas the ganachari coming from particular family the rights of the ganachari continues as an ancestral rights, he commands the religious and Karaga shakthyotsava ritual activities.

Similarly the kula gowda will command the entire Karaga shakthyotsava activities and community religious activities. The gantepoojari will play an important role in Karaga shakthyotsava, he who give Deeksha to Veerakumaras and give Avishkaras to Karagada and ari and potharaja poojari and he also plays an important in descending the deeksha power when individual gets his life end. The potharaja poojari who happen to be muthyalamma poojari is also place an important role in arranging pooja’s outside the temple and also give service as a potharaja.

The bhankadasayya is also an important person who creates awareness among the devotees and give timely alarming to the devotees at the time of pooja Karaga sanchara. The kolkara(messenger) who is also plays an important role in service in the temple activities and he works as a messenger between temple authorities and the devotees to send the messages at the time of festival, marriages and even for ceremonies.

Lastly the very significance role of Karaga kartha who is the priest centre attraction of community who has to undergo series of ritual practices and prepare himself as a servant between god and devotees.

The above personalities are having their own merits their combined efforts bringing success from the inception of Karaga shakthyotsava, this is the unmatching social setup finding in this community, it is very race in the society i.e., how the Karaga shakthyotsava succeeds in the modern and scientific age.