The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has tentatively decided to go ahead with celebrating the Bengaluru Karaga and has started preparing for it. It is also planning to celebrate Kempe Gowda Jayanti on the same day. However, this is dependent on the situation on ground and the incidence of COVID-19 in the city.

BBMP Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar said though it was too early to decide on the nature of the celebration this year in the wake of COVID-19 and cholera, he said the civic body will take all precautionary and preventive measures as there will be a huge gathering of people. The senior civic officials along with the police will inspect the karaga route on Thursday.

“As of now, Karaga will be celebrated in the usual manner. There is still time to decide whether celebrations will be on a large scale, as usual, or whether it will be celebrated in a simple but traditional manner,” he said, adding that there still was 28 days to go.

This year, the 11-day annual Karaga festival will be held from March 31 to April 9. The BBMP will work with the Health Department and consult with stakeholders on precautionary measures to be taken.

This was decided at a preparatory meeting on Karaga festival on Wednesday, which was attended by senior civic officials and trustees of the Dharmaraya temple.

A senior BBMP official informed The Hindu that the civic body had asked the BWSSB to keep a check on water supplied across the city, especially the old pete area where the procession and other rituals of Karaga take place.

Former Mayor P.R. Ramesh, one of the main organisers of Bengaluru Karaga, expressed confidence on celebrations going as planned. “The Karaga is an important living heritage of the city that had to be celebrated on the full moon day of the first month of the Lunar Hindu calendar (Chaitra masa). However, if the situation demands, it will be celebrated in a simple way without compromising on traditional rituals” he said.