Bengaluru, Apr 4 (PTI) Karaga, considered to be one of the city's oldest festivals, that is usually celebrated with much fanfare, will be a quiet affair this time with the government permittingit to be observed only symbolically in the wake of COVID-19 spread.

"All fairs have been stopped across the state, only four to five people will be there to symbolically observe Bengaluru Karaga. We have given permission to it," Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurppa told reporters onFriday.

The 11-day long festivity was to culminate with the Karaga being taken out in a grand procession from the Dharmarayaswamy temple on April 8.

The Karaga festival is celebrated by the Vahnikula Kshatriya (Thigala) community on Chaitra Poornima day of every year in reverence of Adhishakthi Draupadi.PTI KSU SS

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