Dharmaraya Swamy Temple

Dharmaraya Swamy Temple is an 800-year-old Hindu temple located in Nagarathpet, central Bengaluru, Karnataka, dedicated to Dharmaraya (Yudhishthira), the eldest of the Pandavas. Built by the Vahni Kula Kshatriya (Thigala) community, it is noted for its Dravidian architecture and as the origin point of the annual Karaga festival, one of Bengaluru's oldest and most significant religious traditions attracting devotees and visitors year-round.

Visitors can expect a historic Dravidian-style temple complex in a dense urban setting in old Bengaluru. The temple features a gopuram entrance, pillared halls, and shrines dedicated to Dharmaraya and the Pandavas, Draupadi and Krishna. The inner sanctum houses the main deities, while the courtyard and mandapas display traditional architecture and stone carvings. The surroundings are busy market streets of Nagarathpet and Tigalarapet, with flower and puja shops nearby.

The temple is believed to have been originally built over 800 years ago and later developed in its present Dravidian form. It is associated with the Vahni Kula Kshatriya (Thigala) community who are considered its traditional custodians. The temple is dedicated to the Pandavas with Dharmaraya as the presiding deity, a rare dedication in South India.

The temple is the centre of the annual Karaga festival celebrated on Chaitra Purnima (March-April), where the Karaga bearer carries a decorated pot in a night-long procession through old Bengaluru. The festival is deeply significant for the Thigala community and is considered one of Bengaluru's oldest living traditions, drawing large numbers of devotees.