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41st anniversary of The Times of India, Bengaluru: Colours, culture , celebrations
Astroll through Bengaluru's buzzing streets during temple fair season will captivate you with dazzling decorations and baroque light installations. Localities compete for creativity — lights sway above narrow lanes, intricate floral patterns line the streets, and colourful arches light up the night sky.
The hustle and bustle of devotees dressed in their best and vendors displaying their wares blend with the shimmering lights, creating an atmosphere of festive enchantment. You will find yourself pausing often, mesmerised by the artistry and devotion on display. The city of Bengaluru, which had always been a hub of culture, has now transformed into an electric canvas of faith and celebration.
Jathres – or, annual fairs -- in Bengaluru are a vibrant expression of the city's multicultural and multireligious fabric.
Bengaluru takes pride in its temple fairs as a fusion of local traditions with influences from diverse communities. Jathres may feature processions showcasing idols of local deities, as well as folk performances like dollu kunitha, veeragase, or kolaata. Diversity is equally reflected in the food at these fairs, giving visitors a taste of Bengaluru's culinary pluralism.
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Historian Arenahalli Shivashankar Dharmendra Kumar says Bengaluru was a village cluster that later morphed into various localities we see today.
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Each of these villages had its deity, worshipped an- A nually by residents for a bountiful year. 'There is a big difference between a jathre and a habba (festival). Jathres are celebrated by a whole village, while habbas are communityand family-level celebrations. Sankranti and Ugadi are the only ones we can call 'nelamoolada habbagalu' (native festivals).
These festivals come from farmers and people who worshipped nature and wanted to relate to it.
However, when Kempegowda founded Bengaluru in the 16th century, it already had Dharmaraya temple, and jathres in numerous places like Beguru and Madiwala had been going on for years,' he says.
Asked why female deities are predominantly worshipped in these jathres, he says, 'Across South India, worship of the mother goddess in various forms always had prominence. Mother goddess was considered the protector of the land, one who provided people with bountiful harvest and nourished them.
Hence, most jathre deities are goddesses.'
Occasionally, we may get to see jathres of Lord Hanuman or Shiva, but it is usually a goddess who is called amma (mother) – Annamma, Muthyalamma, Plague Maramma, Pillekamma, Bandi Mankalamma, Maheshwaramma –- and the list goes on.
Several jathres take place in and around Bengaluru. One of them is Karaga Jathre, which begins on the full moon day of the Chaitra Masa (March or April) of the Hindu calendar.
The one associated with the Thigala community at Dharmaraya temple in Nagarathpete is the oldest. The 800-year-old temple predates the Kempegowda period by several centuries. A priest carries the Karaga, a tall floral pyramid, on his head, containing an earthen pot in which the goddess Adishakti is invoked.
Accompanying him are swordwielding men from Thigala community, once a warrior clan that later took to growing vegetables and flowers.
A unique ritual is when the priest visits Dargah of Tawakkal Mastan, a Muslim saint, seeking strength to carry the Karaga – a telling testament to Bengaluru's syncretic culture.
There is hardly a Bengalurean who has not visited Kadlelekai Parishe in Basavanagudi, south Bengaluru, held for 3 to 4 days in the last week of Karthika Masa in Hindu calendar. The lore is that farmers seeking to appease Basava, Lord Shiva's sacred bull, offer their first groundnut crop every year.
At Parishe, one can see heaps of varieties of groundnuts sold around the famous Bull temple, Dodda Ganesha temple and Bugle Rock Park.
The whole area is packed with stalls selling food seen only in rural jathres, attractive shopping items for all age groups, numerous rides and games for all age groups, and visitors are mesmerised by the electric atmosphere.
In the busy Majestic area is the temple of Annamma Devi, considered the guardian goddess of Bengaluru since the Kempegowda era.
Bengalureans visit this shrine on Subedar Chatram Road on special occasions such as childbirth, weddings, after buying a vehicle or while starting a venture. Originally 'Hannamma' as her presence was made known at a fruit orchard, the name later became 'Annamma'. It is believed she wards off all evil from entering the city.
Annamma Devi Jathre is celebrated on a grand scale during March-April. The temple idols are 'loaned' to devotees in other areas celebrating Annamma Devi Jathres and restored to their original place after celebrations.
Devotees say the goddess wields power to cure sicknesses and fulfil wishes. The main jathre includes a Karaga. 'According to my mother, temple idols were hundreds of years old. Annamma loved her devotees and would fulfil vows taken by them. In turn, devotees made offerings to the goddess through puja, donations, or in the form of money or jewels. The piety of people for Annamma is deep and astonishing,' says Shwetha Rajeshwari, a resident of Adugodi.
Muthyalamma Devi Jathre is a car festival of Muthyalamma Devi, also considered gramadevathe of Shivajinagar. The temple on Seppings Road is said to be 400 years old and Devi is known to save people from famine and diseases. Another jathre of Muthyalamma Devi, organised in Bettahalsoor village near Bengaluru, is a celebration of devoutness and folklore. Held for five days beginning from the evening of Ramanavami every year, it attracts huge crowds.
The jathre is known for devotees walking barefoot on burning coals as an offering to the Goddess. Another important temple fair in Bengaluru is Gangamma Devi Jathre, associated with ancient Gangamma temple in Malleswara.
According to folk expert Dr Arun Joladakudligi, urban fairs have become more commercialised. 'These fairs, once spiritual and rustic, have morphed into marketplaces that cater to both religious and commercial interests,' he says.
'One needs to closely study urbanised jathres of Bengaluru through several viewpoints. Most of these events are usually managed by certain communities. However, in an urban set-up, everyone, regardless of their caste and creed, actively takes part in jathres of their locality.
This creates a temporarily secular atmosphere. When we look at the past, people from different professions, different households contributed to the local jathre in their capacity.
Everyone in the village benefited from it. Now, this structure has changed,' he says.
Technology has helped beam jathre proceedings live to the whole world. With Bengaluru's growing appeal as a cosmopolitan city, jathres have garnered attention from international tourists. Every element of jathre reflects the spirit of Bengaluru. These events are a reminder that amid skyscrapers and startups, Bengaluru's heart still beats to the rhythm of community and cultural pride.
