Dharmaraya Swamy Temple

Coordinates: 12°57′55″N 77°35′00″E / 12.965395°N 77.58325°E / 12.965395; 77.58325

The temple is situated in Bangalore city, Bangalore District, Karnataka

Shri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple as seen on Bangalore Karaga 2009

Dharmaraya Swamy Temple is situated in Bangalore city, Bangalore District, Karnataka. The Present Bangalore city was built by Sri Kempe Gowda in 16th century.

Dharmaraya Swamy Temple History

The exact historical background of the city and the history of the temple like the name of the builder, date of construction is not clear.

When we look at the history of the temple, it is learnt that the Ganga Arasu who came from north Tamil Nadu the present Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, and Neelagiri it is said to be that they belong to Vanniya kula Kshatriya had been settled in southern Mysore area and it is also believed that they were the ones to construct the temple.

The Archeology survey department has undertaken the study of the stone, masonry and declared that the age of this temple is more than (800 years) .It is also learnt from the experiments that, the Kempegowda Gopuras (towers) were built in the four corners of the city keeping the Sri Dharmarayaswamy Temple vimanagopura kalasa as a centre point. It is Ulsoor tower in the North-East, The Bellary Road Tower in the North-West, The Lalbagh Tower in the South-East, The Gavipura Tower in the South-West to the temple, which gives more intensive relations to the Kempegowda's developmental works.

This dynasty belongs to Gonga Arasu dynasty later called Ganga Arasu .Gangas used to build their towns near the tanks or the river beds and use to build temples lower level to the earth with low level pradikshina patha. Sri Dharmaraya Swamy temple was in the sidhikatte lake bed area & it is below the land level that existed prior to current Bangalore. It is also learnt that this old town was called as Kalyanapuri a Town of Temples, Ponds & Religious centres. Later it was named as "Bendhakaluru" then "Bangalore".

Even today we can see the reference of seven religious centres, seven ponds adjacent to mutt in the bed area of sidhi katte which is present K.R Market & Dharmambudi lake present Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Majestic area) adjecent to this kempabudhi lake in Gavipura Which is also referred to Dakshina Kashi Punya Kshetra as quoted in puranas.

Festival

Bangalore Karaga is the only festival that is brought about in this temple. Karaga commences with the all important flag raising ceremony and on the first day the Veerakumaras and the priest have janivara (thread worn as a band over the left shoulder) and sacred kankana(sacred thread) tied on their wrist, only then can they do seve (serve) to her.

Thigala devotees as seen in "Pache Kargu" or hasi karaga gather here in huge masses.

Prayers are offered by the priest,Veerakumaras and chakridararu. Five hereditary clan families are involved in the tradition. All the rituals are steeped in secrecy. From 2nd to 6th days, in the evenings aarthi takes place at the Cubbon Park shakti peeta, and then at other 8 water sources. On the 6th day ladies pray to Draupadi Devi with an elaborate aarti also called as festival of lights.^[1]

The 7th day is hasi karaga when symbolically the goddess is readied for her marriage. She emerges from the kere (tank), readied as a woman fully decked up like a bride, and by another secret ritual she carries the kalasha(pot). The Veerakumaras pay their obeisance to her and escort her to the Dharmaraya Swamy Temple. The 8th day is Pongal seve done by the wives of the Veerakumaras to the goddess.

On the pournami day the marriage of the goddess and the utsav murthis (worshiping idols) are taken in a procession. The 10th day is shanthi pooje to Potha raja, also a protector and the brother in law to the Pandavas. The 11th day is vasanth utsava, and the flag is brought down.^[2]

Interestingly the Karaga priest performs austerities since six months and he wears his wife’s mangala sutra, who gets it back by a marriage ceremony on the 10th day. She will not be seeing her husband from the time of Vijayadashami who will reside in the temple till the Karaga is over. So when the Karaga procession stops in front of her house, she, unlike the other devotees cannot come out to be blessed. On the lines of Vijayadashami celebration of Dussera, so also on the final day it’s triumph of good that the Karaga celebrates.

The procession does not stop anywhere but is always in a dynamic state. The Prasada of lime received from the goddess is said to bring relief from ailments and misfortunes.

The Dharmaraya Swamy Temple is unique as its dedicated to the Pandavas and Krishna and not found anywhere in India.

In other places there are sin

In temples dedicated to each of the Pandavas. Goudas, ganacharyas, chakrigararu are the ordained sects in the vahnakula ksatrayias to carry the tradition of conducting the Karaga.

Chakridararu are those who perform the various pooja activities at the time of Karaga. These include the ghante poojaris, who are the gurus and carry out the temple rituals, the kith of the Karaga priest, kith from the clan of potharaja, Banka dasayya (announcers of the Karaga) and kolkararu (message criers). These five families have a kula purohita(clan priest) who is a Brahmin. He performs rituals as per the shastras (sacred texts).

Overall management and supervision is done by ganacharyas. All these categories of functionaries are supervised by the gowdas who ensure smooth functioning. Everything is perfectly timed as was done some centuries ago.The Karaga festival was doubly special during the year 2009 and 90 per cent of the renovation work of the temple was almost over.^[3]

Temple Architecture and styles

The Dharmaraya Swamy Temple is unique as its dedicated to the Pandavas and Krishna and not found anywhere in India.

But the temple resembles the architectural features of the Gangas, the Pallavas and the Vijayanagara styles. The present rajagopura was well established before formation of new Bangalore by Kempe Gowda in the year 1530 A.D. Sri Kempe Gowda was one of the main devotee of this temple.

Bangalore city was designed keeping forefront of this temple.The temple area marked as the north-east of the city.Halasuru pete this area is known as Kalyanapuri in the purana kathanas (focal artist & sadhus). The garbhagruha is in ganga style, the vimanagopura is in pallava style and mukhamantapa is in vijayanagar style, which shows the development of this temple in three different dimensions. The fourth stage of development of rajagopura and sabhangana was taken up in 20th century.

The temple had vast area around the temple with Kalyani & Dharmachatra, but they are not existing now due to vast development of Bangalore city since decades.

There were Pallavas style carved chambers between prangana & the newly built sabhangana, these carved chambers were removed and replaced by Ashtalakshmi Idols. The study quotes the vimanagopura which is in the Pallava style matches with the Magadi temples & Halsur temple built by Kempe Gowda.

Historic Records

The temple records reveal that Sri Immadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar of Mysore visited the temple in 1811 A.D. to confirm for himself the fame and real truth of Karaga Shakthyotsava since it was as famous as the Mysore Dasara even abroad. The king brought two sharpened swords (Alagu) are presented to the temple to perform the Aluguseva with these alagu to test whether the aluguseva is true of not. The veerakumaras of the temple accepted the Alugu (sword) and perform the aluguseva.

The two swords are broken in to pieces when the veerakumaras offered alaguseva to the goddess. The king was surprised and surrendered to the goddess Adhishakthi Draupadi. After this incidence it had given to understand that king’s sick mother was recovered from the decease and king had peaceful and prosperous life. The king was happy and donated huge property in the form of land and jewels and taken the management of the temple in to this administration. This was continued till independence.

The Dharmadarshy’s committee managed the temple in the name of Maharaja of Mysore. After independence under the union government this temple was taken to muzurai department with special community privileges. Presently this temple is the oldest temple in the muzurai records and maintained by muzurai department through Vyavasthapana samithi (Managing committee). This committee will be nominated once in three years.

On records this is the richest institution having thousands of acres cultivatable land which is now not in control of temple due to various reasons. As for the records collected 86 acres (350,000 m²) of land in HAL 2nd stage, Doopanahalli village taken over for the formation of residential layouts by BDA. About 69 acres (280,000 m²) of Hongasandra village Bangalore south taluk were in dispute. About 42 acres (170,000 m²) in Neelasandra village are in action to take back the position. Still huge land of temple is yet to collect.

The committee is making its effort and succeeded in winning the cases in the High Court and Supreme Court on a piece of 15 acres (61,000 m²) and 12 guntas as Sy. No.79, of Neelasandra and 16 acres 30 guntas at Sy. No. 33 of Hongasandra village Bangalore South Taluk. The committee eagerly awaiting to get the remaining land to the temple with the co-operation of community, devotees and the government in the interest of protecting and developing the temple properties.

More than the Historical references and its backgrounds the practices followed by the temple are very ancient the Karaga Shakthyothsava referring to the Krutha Yuga, practice of Shaktha Pantha and this place referred as Kalyanpuri which is quoted in puranas. The sthothras are in the aravu language, spoken prior to the historical period. On the basis of this we can say that, this is an oldest and ancient temple.

Postal Address of the Temple

Shree Dharamara Swamy Temple Sri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple Main Road, (OTC Road) Thigalarpet, Bangalore -560 002 Ph: 91-80-55334310

Temple Working Hours

Week Days: 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Festival Days: 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. During Karaga Festival – Temple remains open round the clock.

Daily Sevas

5:30 a.m. Abhisheka. 6:00 a.m. Floral Decoration. 7:30 a.m. Mahamangalarathi. 7:30 p.m. Evening Pooja and Maha Mangalarathi.

Specaial Sevas

Every Friday - Rahukala Pooja by 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Poornima Pooja - (Every full moon day) by 7:30 p.m. Utsava Seva on specific festival days by 11:30 a.m. Vishesha Pooja (Harike Pooja). Sankashtahara Chathurthi Pooja in Ganapathi Temple. First Tuesday of every month Shakthi Pooja in Muthyalamma Temple.

Travel

Road

Town hall Bus Stop, Corporation bus top, Martha’s Hospital bust stop, City Market bus stop, Mysore Bank us stop are the nearest BMTC bus stops located in a walkable distance. Bus Terminals: Majestic bus stand 3 km from the temple. Kalasipalyam bus stand is about 1 km.

Rail

Bangalore City Railway Station about 3 km. Cantonment Railway Station about 5 km. Yeshwanthpur Railway Station about 7 km

Air

Bangalore International Airport is about 40 km. From the temple. The airport operates both domestic and international flights. The Bangalore airport is major hub for feeder routes in South Zone. International Airport, Bellary Road, 27 km.

Nearest Hotels

The temple is located in busy business area where number of hotels are situated with boarding with lodging facility. Some of the hotels near the temple are Hotel Luciya, Hotel Paivihar, Hotel Neeladri Hotel Comfort, Hotel Geo, Woodlands hotel.

See also

Bangalore Karaga

References

1. ^ Muniyappa B.A. - Shree Draupadi Karaga Shakti Matu Vanhikula Kshytriyaru
2. ^ A.Lakshman - Thigala Janangada Hitihasa Matu Karaga Shakthyostava
3. ^ "Renovation Over". Online edition of Bangalore Mirror, April 21, 2009 at 12:39:48 AM. http://www.bangaloremirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=10&contentid=200904212009042100394852e56efa0a&sectxslt=&pageno=1. Retrieved 2009-07-14. 

K.Laxmana Author of "Adhi shakti Droupadhi Devi","Thigala Janagada Hithihasa mathu Karaga Shakthothsava","karaga shakthothsava Neethi Samhithe" and "Shree Dharmaraya swamy Devasthna Kaipidi"

External links

• Central Map of Temple from WikiMaps