Permission For Bengaluru Karaga Festival and Procession Granted: In Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka High Court granted the organizers permission to hold the night-long processions on April 16 at the Karaga Mahotsava, also known as the Bengaluru Karaga festival, on Wednesday.
In the case of Suo motu vs State of Karnataka (Writ Petition No: 5781 of 2021), a division bench of Honourable Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice S R Krishna Kumar modified its interim order dated March 3, which directed that processions, protests, and other events should not be conducted/held by any group, political or non-political organizations, or any other organizations, except at a park known as Freedom Park in Bengaluru.
According to the facts of the case, the managing committee of Sri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple had approached the court for permission. Senior Advocate S. Vivek Reddy, appearing for the applicants, argued that this Court’s order dated 03.03.2022 is impeding the impleading applicant’s ability to hold the Karaga festival, which is one of the oldest festivals that celebrates Hindu and Muslim unity and has a 300-year history in the state of Karnataka.
Karaga is a folk-dance festival that is regarded as Bengaluru’s cultural pride, according to the application. The ritual begins at Thigalarpet’s Dharmarayaswamy temple. This temple is the only one in the country dedicated to the Pandavas. The Karaga festival is essentially a water and nature celebration. The Karaga festival is held every year in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March/April) in the South Indian state of Karnataka, primarily by the Tigala community. After all of her trials and tribulations, Draupadi emerged as a symbol of strong and ideal womanhood, and the festival honors her as the ideal woman and the Goddess of strength (shakti).
It also stated that the aforementioned order issued by this Court is impeding a night-long procession scheduled for the full moon night, and that as a result, the order dated 03.03.2022 must be modified to that extent for the current year, 2022.
“Having regard to the aforesaid facts and circumstances and the averments made in the application, we deem it just and appropriate to modify the aforesaid order dated 03.03.2022 and permit celebration of Karaga Mahotsava popularly known as Bengaluru Karaga festival on 16.04.2022 in Bengaluru City, after ensuring that the said procession will not cause hindrance or impediment to traffic in this regard,” the bench wrote after reviewing the records.
“Interim order dated 03.03.2022 is modified to the extent that the remaining terms and conditions and directions issued in the said interim order will continue and remain in force until the next date of hearing,” the court said.
The instruction was given during the hearing of a public interest lawsuit that had been filed in response to a letter from a sitting High Court judge.