Top 10 Biggest Jatre in Karnataka

Top 10 biggest jatre in Karnataka celebrates the way our towns and villages light up with devotion and joy. From sunrise abhisheka and mangalarati to night-long rathotsava, people offer harake, take teertha, and join the pradakshina as percussion beats and conch sounds fill the streets. Families wear traditional attire, draw rangoli at doorsteps, and welcome relatives; volunteers serve annadanam, while children enjoy giant wheels, toy stalls, and sugarcane–jaggery treats. Folk arts like Dollu Kunitha, Veeragase, and coastal Yakshagana turn every jatre into a colorful community festival.

Each fair has its own flavour—heritage chariots, pallakki processions, deepotsava evenings, and bazaar streets lined with crafts. This article curates the statewide favourites so travellers can plan darshan, and locals can relive the spirit of our grand temple fairs.

1) Mysuru Dasara – ಜಂಬೂ ಸವಾರಿಯ ದಸರಾ

📍 Place: Mysore, Mysuru district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Every year during Navaratri (Sep–Oct); the grand Vijayadashami procession date is announced annually as per the lunar calendar.

Karnataka’s state festival transforms Mysuru into a living heritage stage. The city glitters with palace illuminations and cultural programs while the famed Jamboo Savari carries the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari in a golden howdah through historic streets to Bannimantap. Visitors plan their day around darshan, the royal procession, and evening shows across the city.

• Jamboo Savari: Iconic Vijayadashami procession with the golden howdah borne by the lead elephant.
• Palace Illumination: Mysore Palace lit up nightly during the festival period.
• Dasara Exhibition: Seasonal fair at Doddakere Maidan featuring crafts, books, and local foods.
• Torchlight Parade: Closing spectacle at Bannimantap Grounds with traditional displays.

2) Yellamma Saundatti Jatre – ಸೌದತ್ತಿ ಎಲ್ಲಮ್ಮ ಜಾತ್ರೆ (Belagavi)

📍 Place: Yellamma Gudda, Saundatti (Savadatti), Belagavi district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Annual fairs peak on full-moon (Pournami) days, typically between Oct–Feb as per the lunar calendar.

North Karnataka’s most crowded hill-temple fair at the Renuka Yellamma shrine. Devotees from Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra climb to Yellamma Gudda for vows (harake) and darshan from dawn till late night. Bazaar streets ring the hill with bangles, coconuts, and traditional offerings as the temple precincts stay vibrant all day.

• Vow Offerings: Saree, bangles, and coconut (harake kobbari) rituals unique to Yellamma worship.
• Pournami Rush: Extra temple timings and disciplined queue routes on full-moon fairs.
• Hill Circuit: Devotees perform pradakshina of Yellamma Gudda and visit nearby sacred spots/springs.
• Access & Logistics: Special KSRTC services and traffic diversions operate during peak jatre days.

3) Sirsi Marikamba Jatre – ಸಿರಸಿ ಮಾರಿಕಾಂಬ ಜಾತ್ರೆ (Uttara Kannada)

📍 Place: Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Usually held in Feb–Mar; the major jatre is observed once in two years (biennial), with a grand “Dodda Jatre” cycle returning roughly every 12 years—exact dates follow the lunar calendar.

The arecanut town of Sirsi turns into a sea of devotees as the Marikamba idol is brought out in a majestic street procession. Traditional bands lead the route through heritage lanes while town squares host cultural displays and pop-up markets. The scale and discipline of crowd management make this one of coastal–Malenadu Karnataka’s most talked-about fairs.

• Procession Scale: Multiple chariots and long rope-pulls along a citywide route with designated halts.
• Biennial Magnet: The major edition draws lakhs; plan stays early as rooms sell out weeks in advance.
• Market Stretch: Temporary santhe corridors for local crafts, arecanut products, and household wares.
• City Logistics: Traffic diversions, KSRTC specials, and police-managed barricades for orderly movement.

4) Banashankari Amma Jatre – ಬನಶಂಕರಿ ಜಾತ್ರೆ (Badami, Bagalkote)

📍 Place: Banashankari (near Badami), Bagalkote district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Annual month-long fair in Jan–Feb (Pushya māsa); exact chariot/procession dates are announced each year as per the lunar calendar.

A classic Devi fair centered on the historic Banashankari temple and its deepa-stambha front courtyard. Pilgrims arrive for special alankaras, queue darshan, and the chariot day that winds through the temple streets. Around the shrine, a sprawling santhe springs up with craft stalls and North Karnataka food, while heritage travellers pair the visit with Badami caves.

• Fair Calendar: Month-scale schedule with designated chariot day; Tuesdays/Fridays see heavier Devi-worship footfall.
• Iconic Spots: Tall deepa-stambha and temple tank precincts make striking photo vantage points.
• Travel Pairing: Easy circuit with Badami–Aihole–Pattadakal (UNESCO heritage) for culture + darshan in one trip.
• Access & Facilities: Special KSRTC services, temporary parking zones, and crowd-managed queue lanes during peak days.

5) Nanjangud Dodda Jathre – ನಂಜಂಗುಡು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಜಾತ್ರೆ (Mysuru District)

📍 Place: Nanjangud, Mysuru district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Usually Mar–Apr (Chaitra/Panguni); exact chariot day is fixed annually per the lunar calendar.

The riverside town of Nanjangud—home of Sri Srikanteshwara—hosts a grand “Dodda Jathre” as crowds line the temple streets for the rathotsava. Devotees take teertha snana in the Kapila (Kabini) and join long rope-pulls as multiple temple chariots roll past decorated facades. Market lanes brim with brassware, bangles, and temple prasadam.

• Ratha Route: Well-marked streets for the main chariot and accompanying smaller rathas with scheduled halts.
• Kapila Focus: Early-morning holy dip spots and barricaded ghats arranged for crowd safety.
• Temple Services: Extended darshan hours, special abhisheka tickets, and prasada counters during peak days.
• Getting There: KSRTC specials from Mysuru/Bengaluru, temporary parking zones, and traffic diversions in the core area.

6) Mylara Lingeshwara Jatre & Karnikotsava – ಮೈಲಾರ ಲಿಂಗೇಶ್ವರ ಜಾತ್ರೆ (Vijayanagara)

📍 Place: Mylara (Mylara Lingeshwara Temple), Hadagalli taluk, Vijayanagara district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Every year in Jan–Feb (Maagha); the main day falls around Maagha Purnima and is announced annually by the temple.

A hallmark fair of North Karnataka dedicated to Sri Mylara Lingeshwara. The highlight is the dramatic Karnikotsava, when the temple’s oracle delivers a prophecy from a tall platform before vast crowds. Through the day and late into the night, devotees undertake vows, listen to spiritual recitations, and join disciplined queue lines for darshan in the hill-temple precincts.

• Karnikotsava: The oracle’s annual proclamation from an elevated stage, followed with keen attention by devotees.
• Gorava Tradition: Distinctive Gorava devotees in woolen attire and beads participate in processional rites.
• Temple Logistics: Barricaded darshan routes, timed entries on peak day, and public-address guidance across the grounds.
• Travel & Access: Additional KSRTC services towards Hadagalli/Hosapete; temporary parking and traffic diversions near Mylara.

7) Bengaluru Karaga – ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಕರಗ (Bengaluru)

📍 Place: Sri Dharmaraya Swamy Temple, Thigalarpet, Bengaluru Urban, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Annually in Mar–Apr (Chaitra); the all-night procession occurs on/around Chaitra Purnima per the lunar calendar.

One of Bengaluru’s oldest living traditions, the Karaga is a midnight city procession led by a priest bearing a flower-decked sacred pot balanced on his head. Rooted in Draupadi (Adi Shakti) worship and stewarded by the Thigala community, the procession winds through the old pete markets as drummers, devotees, and guardians keep a tight formation till dawn.

• Midnight Start: Karaga emerges from Dharmaraya Swamy Temple and traverses the historic pete lanes till daybreak.
• Veerakumaras Guard: Traditional sword-bearing attendants maintain a sacred perimeter around the Karaga bearer.
• Harmony Halt: The route includes a respectful stop at the Tawakkal Mastan dargah—an emblem of Bengaluru’s syncretic culture.
• Visitor Tips: Follow barricades, avoid flash near the Karaga circle, and plan viewing zones early due to dense crowds.

8) Udupi Paryaya Mahotsava – ಉದಯಾಸ್ತಮಾನ ಪರ್ಯಾಯ (Udupi)

📍 Place: Sri Krishna Matha & Car Street, Udupi, Udupi district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Biennial change of worship in January (odd-numbered years); exact day announced by the Ashta Matha.

The Paryaya marks the ceremonial handover of Sri Krishna’s daily worship and administration among the eight Udupi Ashta Matha. A grand pre-dawn procession, chants, and community offerings fill Car Street as the new Swamiji ascends the Paryaya seat and begins a two-year term. Devotees queue for darshan and partake in large-scale annadanam while cultural programs run through the day.

• Paryaya Peetha Handover: New Mathadhipati formally assumes charge of pooja and administration for two years.
• Hore Kanike Processions: Communities bring grains and essentials in decorated processions ahead of the ceremony.
• Ritual Circuit: Temple rounds across Car Street, Rajangana precincts, and sacred spots around the Madhva Sarovara.
• Visitor Tips: Book stays early; check special darshan/seva timings and expect traffic diversions in the temple zone.

9) Dharmasthala Deepotsava & Rathotsava – ಧರ್ಮಸ್ಥಳ ದೀಪೋತ್ಸವ (Dakshina Kannada)

📍 Place: Sri Manjunatha Temple, Dharmasthala, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Typically in Nov–Dec during Karthika; main lamp-lighting and ratha days are announced annually as per the lunar calendar.

Temple town Dharmasthala glows with rows of lamps for the famed Laksha Deepotsava, followed by a series of rathotsava days when the chariot draws devotees along the car street. Pilgrims arrive from across the coast and Malenadu, planning darshan, teertha snana near designated ghats, and an unhurried evening amid the illuminated precincts.

• Lamp Circuits: Coordinated lighting around the rajagopura, car street, and temple corridors creates a continuous glow trail.
• Ratha Schedule: Multiple chariot pulls on successive evenings with marked rope zones and timed halts.
• Pilgrim Flow: One-way queue systems for darshan; separate entry/exit lanes reduce cross-traffic during peak hours.
• Travel & Facilities: Park-and-walk zones, KSRTC specials, wayfinding signboards, and ghats earmarked for safe teertha snana.

10) Virupaksha Rathotsava, Hampi – ವಿರೂಪಾಕ್ಷ ದೇವಾಲಯ ರಥೋತ್ಸವ (Vijayanagara)

📍 Place: Sri Virupaksha Temple & Hampi Bazaar, Hampi, Vijayanagara district, Karnataka  •  🗓️ Date: Usually Mar–Apr (Chaitra); the main ratha day is announced annually per the lunar calendar.

In the heart of the UNESCO-listed ruins, the chariot of Sri Virupaksha rolls past stone mandapas and the historic Hampi Bazaar. Devotees gather under the towering gopura as drums and conch calls echo off granite hills, blending living Shaiva tradition with the legacy of the Vijayanagara empire. Evening lamps and temple chants wrap the car street in a timeless festival mood.

• Heritage Route: Procession along Hampi Bazaar with halts near pillared pavilions and photo-worthy gopura frames.
• Temple Circuit: Darshan at Virupaksha followed by visits to nearby shrines/mandapas; pair with Hemakuta & Vittala sightseeing.
• Visitor Guidance: Respect no-drone and protected-monument rules; follow barricades and priest/ASIs’ instructions for crowd flow.
• Access & Comfort: Base at Hosapete (Hospet); limited parking in core zone—use e-autos/shuttles, carry water/sun protection for daytime heat.

Other Famous Jatre in Karnataka

Interesting Facts About Karnataka Jatre

Dates shift each year because most jatres follow the Hindu lunar calendar (tithi & māsa), often around Purnima/Amavasya.

• Panchanga Powered: Major fairs map to lunar cues—Maagha, Kārttika, or specific nakshatras—so “same month, new date” is common.
• Ratha Engineering: From coastal brahma ratha (towering wooden chariots) to inland car streets (ratha beedi), designs reflect local craft schools and safety rope-zones.
• Community Kitchens: Large-scale annadanam runs on volunteer crews and donor-led hore kanike (grain/vegetable offerings) feeding thousands daily.
• Folk-Art Melas: Jatres double as cultural festivals—Dollu Kunitha, Veeragase, Kamsale, and coastal Yakshagana rotate across stages and street corners.
• Syncretic Stops: In several towns, processions respectfully pause at shrines of other faiths—showcasing Karnataka’s shared, plural heritage.
• Green Moves & Logistics: More fairs push “no single-use plastic,” earthen lamps/leaf plates, waste segregation, plus KSRTC specials, barricaded queues, and heritage-zone drone rules.