A Simple Note on Festivals Celebrated in Karnataka

India is a land of festivals. Countless festivals are celebrated in India of different religions, cultures, and histories. In this article, we will discuss the famous culture in Karnataka of celebrating various festivals. Karnataka is famous for sandalwood and the material silk, which is prominently available in the Mysore district. Ganesh Chaturthi, the famous festival of Karnataka, and other festivals exhibit the state’s rich cultural legacy.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Hampi is the place in Karnataka where tourists from all over the world come together to become a part of the sensational annual festivals of the state. There are many more festivals celebrated in the state. Let’s see what the prominent festivals celebrated in Karnataka are.

Ugadi 

One of the most famous festivals of Karnataka is Ugadi. Ugadi is the new year of the Kannada and Telugu people. This festival is celebrated by Maharashtrians, Sindhis, and Hindus of other places as well. It is commonly known as “Gudi Parwa”. 

People wear traditional dresses at this festival, and there is a  ritual of cooking a dish named “Ugadi Pachadi”. People prepare this delicious traditional dish using jaggery, raw mango, chilly, neem, tamarind, salt, etc. People welcome their guests by hanging a chain composed of mango leaves. 

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi, the famous festival of Karnataka, is celebrated for ten days a year. It is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated around August and September; the festival falls in Bhandara month. It signifies the birthday of Lord Ganesha, a Hindu deity. Lord Ganesha is regarded as the God of attainment and knowledge.

Apart from Karnataka, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by erecting “pandals” either at people’s homes or in other public places where Lord Ganesha’s idols are placed for worship. 

Several celebrations and worship are done on these ten days by the devotees. On the last day, the devotees immerse the idol in water, and this ritual is popularly known as “Visarjana”. Visarjana happens with extensive celebrations, dances, and instruments.

Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is another important festival in Karnataka. It is known as Karnataka’s harvest festival. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in Karnataka as well as in various other parts of India, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. ‘Til ke ladoo’ is the prominent sweet cooked at this festival. There is also a tradition of kite flying at Makar Sankranti. People worship the Sun God on this day. 

Tula Sankramana

Tula Sankramana, the famous festival, is celebrated in Coorg, Karnataka.The celebration of Kodava in the month of Toleyar. The significance behind the festival is that once Goddess Cauvery appeared in a small tank by the sudden outburst of water in it. She cherished her devotees by this magical appearance. 

Hence, devotees gather around a small tank every year and worship the Goddess Kaveri’s virtual appearance. The festival is mainly celebrated in the Coorg district of Karnataka.

Karaga

The Karaga is a famous folk dance festival in Karnataka. It is the oldest festival celebrated in the Bengaluru region. The dance is attached to Draupadi, the female protagonist of a famous epic of India, the Mahabharata. This festival shows the affection and respect of people towards Mahabharata’s sufferer, the Shakti Devi, Draupadi. 

Gowri Habba

The festival marks a tribute to Goddess Gowri or Gauri, the holy mother of Lord Ganesha. Gowri festival is celebrated before the beginning of auspicious Ganesh Chaturthi. There is a story behind celebrating this festival. Goddess Gauri visited her parents. But the next day, Lord Ganesha also reached there to take her mother back home. This festival is celebrated throughout India. 

Women take a holy bath and then dress up in traditional attires. They place the idol of Goddess Gauri in their home temples. The idol is made of turmeric. This whole process is called the staple of Goddess Gowri. After the Goddess’s ‘Sthapana Puja‘ is being done, a plate consisting of black beads, turmeric, a  small mirror, Kum Kum, comb, dal, and additional jewellery are prepared for the women. The first of these ritual plates is devoted to the Goddess.

Conclusion

We discussed the main festivals celebrated in Karnataka. Karnataka has a rich culture and vivid celebrations. Karnataka’s Hampi is a popular tourist destination worldwide. People from all over the world come to Hampi to take part in the annual festivals of Karnataka. The rich culture and celebrations of Karnataka make it a dignified state in India.