Sri Dharmaraya Temple Street

The Original Bangalore Habba While the preparations are being made for the Karaga procession, the narrow Dharamaraya Temple Street is closed for traffic and the stretch is transformed into a narrow fair ground. The thousands who have come to the temple are crowding around the various attractions. And almost everyone is busy munching. From the Bangarapet Paani Puri to Bengali Sweets; chatpata Rajasthani Snacks to the seasonal raw mango with salt and red chili powder, there's a lot to choose from. Down the road, the stand and drink wine shop is also doing brisk business. And for the people organising the event, there's a feast being prepared within the temple (pic above). Meanwhile on the street, it's colourful and noisy. All the men and women, selling the usual Mela attractions have congregated here, shouting above the non-stop loudspeaker announcements asking parents to hold their children's hands and not to let them go out of sight.

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Sri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple Street

Push/Pull.


One of the main attractions for the visitors to the Bangalore Karaga is the chance to lend their hands to push or pull a temple chariot during the Rathothsava or Chariot Festival. Each temple in the Pete area has a tall garage built next to it to park the wooden chariot and is brought out this month of the year. The largest among them is the one at the Dharamaraya Swamy Temple.


Here, you can see the chariot being prepared, decorated and the wheels being oiled for the procession, a couple of hours before the procession. This chariot will be pulled and pushed by hundreds of devotees through the narrow gallis of the city market area.

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Sri Dharamaraya Swamy Temple Road

The Original Bangalore Habba

It's Karaga time once again and the Sri Dharmaraya Swami Temple near Corporation, has a fresh coat of paint. While the children enjoy their summer vacations playing outside the temple, inside, priests are offering special prayers before the big annual event on April 9th. Thousands of devotees are expected to congregate here on 9th of April, in the evening, for the Karaga procession that will visit all the major temples and a dargah in the Pete area. Karaga is the one of the most important festivals in the city's calendar. To know more about the Karaga, click here.  

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S C Road, Majestic

They don't call her the Nagara Devate (City's Goddess) for nothing. Annamma Devi of Subedar Chatram Road, Majestic, resides in one of the oldest shrines in Benglur. She is a survivor from the city’s agrarian past. You usually find Annamma Devi temples next to old irrigation tanks and this temple was originally built near the old Dharmambudhi Tank. 

The Dharmambudhi Tank is long gone and is now the city’s main bus terminus but Annamma Devi remains and continues to be popular. She has evolved into the Nagare Devate and continues to have a new meaning to a whole new generation of Benglureans drawn from different parts of the country. 

And yesterday, the day the Marwari community in the Pete area celebrated the Kula Devata Puja, the temple and surrounding areas was filled with devotees offering grain, grams, milk and ghee. This picture was shot a few meters away from the shrine. 

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Circle Maramma Temple, Malleshwaram

Avenue Road

India's favourite road block waits, on a temple wall, for the demolition squad to arrive. This temple will be moved when the road is expected to be widened in 2009.

Dharmaraja Koil Street. Shivajinagar

This must get Maneka Gandhi's goat.

Vatal Nagaraj Road, Okalipuram

Flower Power.
Presenting the winner of the Bangalore's Best Dressed Roadside Idol Award (Male). And surprisingly he resides on a road named after the person who wears the crown for bad dressing

Dharmaraja Swamy Temple Street. ಬೆ೦ಗಳೊರು ಕರಗಾ

A chariot gets ready for today's Karaga festival/procession.

Nagarathpet Main Rd.

Hemanth, the young priest with his diamond studded earrings outside the garbagruha of a temple.

Magadi Rd. ಮಾಗಡಿ ರಸ್ತೆ

Steel Cobras. Entwined.

Nagarathpet Main Road

Avenue Road

You may have heard of a band named Counting Crows. Now it's time to meet Counting People.

Q: People worship crows?
A: Not really. It's a roadside Shani (Saturn) shrine. The crow is the two-headed Shani's vehicle.

Circle Maramma Temple, Malleshwaram

Liposuction. Vedic Style.

Sampangi Tank Bed

Hinduism's first family in the heart of Benglure.
Also from the same location: Reflection, Kanteerava Indoor Stadium, Martial Arts.

NP Road Cross, Old Bazaar

Also see: 'People of Shivajinagar' series: Other trades from Shivajinagar, Tintin in Shivajinagar, Old Man Soaking Up The Sun, Newspaper Delivery Boy, Nose Rings of Dharmaraja Koil Street, The Butcher, Blacksmith, and Little Boy. Please use the search window on the top left corner to find out if Which Main? What Cross? has pictures from your area.

1st Main, R T Nagar

Termite problem? Just worship it.

Related posts: King Kongs of Cottonpet, Someshwara Temple, Kadu Malleshwara, The Priest and the Cobra, Caged Goddess.

Cottonpet Main Rd.

Original Pic. The first pic has been altered using Picasa (crop, contrast, and saturation).

Related posts: Kaadu Malleshwara Temple, Someshwara Temple, Shiva Temple - DK Rd, The Priest and the Cobra, Caged Goddess, and the Temple on Bangalore City Station Platform (SBC).

Kalasipalaya Bus Stand

Also from Kalasipalaya: Jatka Gaadi Stand, Off to school, Caged Goddess.

Nawab Hyder Ali Road, Kalasipalaya

The Caged Goddess. And just like in zoos, it's to protect what's inside from humans.
More pics from Kalasipalaya: Jatka Gaadi Stand, The Priest and the Snake, Shower stop for truckers & Girl - Off to school.