Bangalore Karaga - Group Cohesion

Group Cohesion

One of the distinctive features of Karaga is the participation in this festival by people of all creeds and communities.The Karaga is a representative of the deity in the temple. The icon in the temple is fixed permanently. By taking a "copy" of the icon in the streets, the deity is brought to the people at their own doorstep. When people see the deity, the deity also sees them. This is considered to be a form of blessing from the divine.

The cooked rice, given free to anyone who wants some, is sponsored by various local merchants and other families. These acts of public service promote cooperation among people. They also support the Karaga festival by taking care of the people attending so they don’t have to leave the festival to go home because they feel hungry..

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