Dodda Dayvara Jatre

Dodda Dayvara Jatre is a fair conducted every 11 years in Kolar town, Karnataka. It is the festival of Kuruba Gowdas. It lasts usually for three days in either end of April or the beginning of May. The deities who are worshipped are Beereshwara, Battheshwara, Siddeshwara and Gurumurtheshwara. The temples dedicated to these deities are located in Kurubarapet, adjoining the Kolaramma Lake. The fair is attended by more than one lakh people from Karnataka and neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The deities are taken in procession from Kurubarpet to the Antaragange hill and back; on the way the procession stops in front of all the temples, and the Coconut Miracle or Tenginakai Pavada is performed. This large number people camp on the dry bed of the Kolaramma lake, where they stay for the whole three days. The huge Kolaramma lake is usually dry during the jatre, as it coincides the time just before the start of monsoon rains and filling up of the lake. The festivities include Kuruba "kulastha mahakoota", "Naaga Devathe Thani", "Bilvarchane", "Meeludeepa Pooje" etc.

Links

• Kannadaprabha
• Deccan Herald