“Celebrations” are one of the basic human needs that cannot be denied. One of the main reasons people enjoy festivals is that they bring joy, enthusiasm, and excitement, and most importantly, they unite individuals from different cultures, customs, and even religions together.
India is sometimes referred to as the “land of festivals” because of the numerous colourful and cheerful celebrations held here. India holds a variety of fairs that highlight its rich culture, history, and traditions. People from various castes, cultures, and traditions live in different sections of the country. Each religion has its own set of festivals that reflect its religious beliefs. These Indian fairs, which range in size and significance, provide a view into the many facets of Indian civilization, including cultural, social, commercial, and religious components. Festivals honour India’s rich heritage and vibrant traditions through music, dance, food, and religious rites. The oldest festivals in human history were associated with abundant harvests or the celebration of important regional or community events. They improve the general well-being of communities.
Festivals & Fairs in SOUTH INDIA
Tamil Nadu
Disclaimer: In Tamil Nadu, festival dates are decided based on the moon calendar and the local traditions and customs. The festival dates given here are based on these. But there can be changes in the dates according to the customs and rituals associated with each place of worship. As such, these should be considered only approximate dates and must be confirmed with the local authorities. If you are looking for specific festival dates, please write to us. We shall reconfirm the same closer to the festival day.
Ooty Flower Show:
Venue: Government Botanical Garden, Ooty
Date: 10th to 19th May 2024.
The flower show is a highlight of the month-long summer celebration in the Nilgiris district. It’s an excellent opportunity to witness a spectacular display of flowers, with over 150 types and 52 varieties. Approximately 10,000 flowerpots are artistically placed to create a vibrant spectacle. It is a highly anticipated event that will take place from May 10th to May 17th at the Government Botanical Garden in Ooty, India. This year’s show has been extended from 7 to 10 days. The show’s highlights include flower arrangements, flower rangoli, vegetable sculptures, bonsai, and cut flower shops with a broad variety of blossoms.
Kodaikanal Flower Show
Venue: Bryant Park, Kodaikanal
Date: 26th May 24 to 02nd June 2024
The flower display at Kodaikanal is not a separate event, but rather part of the wider Kodai Vizha (Summer Festival), which takes place yearly in May and June. The flower exhibition, a festival highlight, takes place at Bryant Park in the middle of Kodaikanal. Beautiful floral displays showcase the creativity and talent of local horticulturists. The flower exhibit showcases a wide range of flowers, including towering gladioli, tiny pansies, fragrant roses, spicy marigolds, and many other local and exotic blooms. Summer Kodai festival also has vegetable sculptures, Rangoli competitions, cultural activities, food vendors, and boat races on Kodai Lake. The Summer Kodai festival provides an excellent opportunity to experience the beauty and culture of Kodaikanal.
Brahmotsavam & Chariot festival
Venue: Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram
Festival Date: 27th May 2024
The most prominent festival of Kanchipuram is Brahmotsavam, which lasts 10 days and takes place in May, every year. Utsavams are festivals celebrated at temples. According to legend, Lord Brahma initiated the festival and is said to preside over it, hence the name “Brahmotsavam”. During the utsavams, the presiding deity and other neighbourhood temple deities are carried in procession around major streets, allowing people who are unable to visit the temple to receive blessings. The Varadaraja Temple in Kanchipuram hosts the celebration in honour of Lord Varadaraja. Garudotsavam is part of the Brahmotsavam Festival, which welcomes deities from adjacent temples to the Varadaraja Temple. The Temple Car celebration takes place on the ninth day of the celebration. Generally, Brahmotsavam is celebrated in all the temples big or small according to their monetary capacity. During this time Yagasala (fire rituals performed on special occasions by a Hindu Priest), Initializing the God in the Kalasam (Pot), 2 prayers in both the times mornings & evenings, every day 3 Abhisheka (Abhisheka is a method of prayer in which a devotee pours a liquid offering on the idol of a deity) for the 4 Moolavar (the main deity) with the Kalasa Jalam (water)and other rituals are performed which helps to purify the atmosphere.
Aani Thirumanjanam Festival:
Venue: Thillai Natarajar or Chidambaram Natarajar temple, Chidambaram
Date: 12th July 2024
It is one of the most prominent celebrations held at Chidambaram Nataraja Temple. It is a magnificent ceremony that commemorates the sacred abhishekam (holy bath) of the famed Nataraja idol and Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance. The celebration is held during the Tamil month of Aani (June-July), which coincides with the summer solstice. It is thought to have profound spiritual significance, representing soul purification and life regeneration. Aani Thirumanjanam is a week-long celebration, with the primary rites and abhishekam occurring on the full moon day of Aani. The activities begin with flag-raising and special prayers. The temple complex is decked with vivid decorations, and there is a strong sense of dedication in the air. On the day of the abhishekam, the Nataraja idol is ceremonially removed from the sanctum sanctorum and installed on a separate platform in the temple courtyard. Devotees come in great numbers to watch the sacred event. The abhishekam is thought to purify the idol and confer benefits to worshipers. A team of priests performs the abhishekam according to rigorous Vedic chants and rituals. The statue is immersed in a variety of sacred liquids, including milk, curd, honey, panchamrita (a blend of five nectars) and herbal concoctions. The priests also decorate the idol with sandalwood paste, flowers, and jewellery. Devotees eagerly collect the holy water falling from the idol, believing it to have incredible cleaning and healing properties. The Therottam (chariot festival) is a highlight of the celebration, with an imposing chariot carrying Nataraja’s idol being carried through Chidambaram’s streets. Thousands of followers crowd the streets to see this spectacle, generating an aura of zeal and devotion.
Sri Aurobindo’s Birth Anniversary:
Venue: Shri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry
Date: 15th August 2024
Sri Aurobindo founded Integral Yoga, a spiritual practice, in Pondicherry, India. His vision focused on the transformation of human life into a divine life in a divine body. He believed in a spiritual awakening that not only emancipated but transformed human nature, allowing for heavenly life on earth. Sri Aurobindo’s Birth Anniversary is commemorated every year through a celebration of his life work, vision, philosophy, and creative force for their relevance for the people of India and the world and in the life and realization of Auroville. On this day, devotees’ queue at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram starts early in the morning to visit Sri Aurobindo’s room.
The Puttu Festival (Meeankshi Amman temple is closed)
Venue: Puttuthopu Thidal near Arappalayam at Madurai.
Date: 16th August 2024
It is a religious festival held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. This festival is devoted to Lord Shiva, namely in his form as Puttu Sokkanathar. The event celebrates a narrative of Lord Shiva and a poor old woman who sold puttu, a type of steamed rice cake common in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. According to the legend, the elderly widow was struggling to make ends meet. One day, Lord Shiva came to her disguised as a labourer and offered to help her carry rice bags. After working hard, he became very hungry and devoured all the puttu she had made to sell. The elderly woman was originally upset, but then Lord Shiva revealed his actual form and blessed her, bestowing her moksha (freedom from the cycle of rebirth). The Puttu Festival is held yearly during the Tamil month of Avani, which corresponds to August or September on the Gregorian calendar. On the day of the Puttu Festival, Meenakshi Amman Temple will be closed. So please be aware that clients who arrive in Madurai on this day will not be able to visit the temple. They can, however, watch this festival on the same day at 6:00 p.m. at Puttuthopu Thidal, in Madurai.
Raja Raja Cholan Sadhaya Vizha:
Venue: Brihadeeshwarar temple, Tanjore
Date: 10th November 2024
The Great Chola King Raja Raja Cholan’s birth anniversary is commemorated every year by celebrating “Sadhaya Vizha”. The festival is typically observed in the Tamil month of Aippasi, which runs from mid-October to mid-November. The Brihadeeswarar Temple, also known as Tanjore Big Temple, hosts this celebration every year. The Raja Raja Chola was a brilliant ruler and administrator of the Chola Dynasty who constructed several temples. There are various wonders to be found inside the Brihadeeswarar temple. The Sathaya Vizha commemorates the celebration by adorning the statue of Raja Raja Cholan, which is located outside the temple, with silk robes. “Rajaraja Cholan brought the glory of the Chola empire to the world. This great temple is not only a spiritual place but also a place of art, culture, and tradition. The event is being organized to throw light on the great ruler’s outstanding contribution to the development of his subjects. The abhishekam (sacred bath) is done to the deity of Lord Peruvudaiyar. The deity, Lord Peruvudaiyar is God Shiva in the shape of a lingam. The Perundheepa vazhipaadu(waving of lamps) and Swami purappadu (holy procession of the deity) inside the temple are observed on the day of the festival. Each year, thousands of devotees congregate at this temple to lavishly celebrate this festival. A special 2-day festival with cultural events will be held in Thanjavur Periya Kovil (Big Temple) on Nov 9th & 10th.
Anna Abhishekam:
Venue: Gangaikondacholapuram Temple
Date: 15th November 2024
Annabhishekam ritual and festival is an important ritual held in Lord Shiva Temples in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. Annabhishekam is a ritual, dedicated to Lord Shiva that is performed for food security through the prosperity of the farmland and an increase in agricultural produce. It is usually performed after a harvest season and involves offering cooked rice to Lord Shiva. The rice is cooked in the temple premises and then it is carried around the temple. Priests chant mantras and musical instruments like Nadaswaram, drum etc are played. The cooked rice is then used to cover the Shiva Linga and it is referred to as Anna Linga. Various types of rice preparations like Pongal, curd rice, Sweet Pongal, tamarind rice, sesame rice, payasam and other sweets from freshly harvested rice are prepared and offered to Lord Shiva on the day. The food is then shared by people and is also given to domesticated animals and birds. The ritual is usually performed on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Aippasi (October – November).
Karthigai Deepam (Maha Deepam) at Tiruvannamalai:
Venue: Arunachala hill, Tiruvannamalai
Festival Date: 13th December 2024
Karthigai Deepam, or the “Festival of Lights,” is one of Tamil Nadu’s most important holidays. It celebrates the triumph of good over evil, as represented by the lighting of lamps with a large flame kindled atop Arunachala Mountain, which depicts the light of knowledge over darkness. In Tiruvannamalai, it is much more significant because a massive ghee (clarified butter) lamp is lit atop the Arunachaleswarar Temple, representing Lord Shiva’s fiery appearance as a pillar of light. The celebration, known as Karthigai Brahmotsavam, lasts ten days. Throughout the ten days, the temple holds special pujas (worship rites) in honor of Lord Shiva. The festival’s centerpiece is the lighting of the Maha Deepam (a massive ghee lamp) on top of the Arunachaleswarar Temple. The ritual finishes with the lighting of the Maha Deepam (Great Lamp) atop the temple. This lamp is lit in the evening, and the holy fire is said to have been obtained through a special yagna (fire rite) performed by temple priests. It’s a breathtaking sight, visible for miles. Thousands of devotees gather to witness this spectacular display. Devotees commemorate Girivalam by circumambulating the holy Arunachala summit, just as they do during Maha Shivaratri. This is an essential spiritual practice for believers on Karthigai Deepam (the full moon day) and adds to the festive atmosphere. During the event, Tiruvannamalai’s lodgings tend to fill up quickly.
Mahabalipuram Dance Festival:
Venue: Near Arjuna Penance or Seashore temple complex, Mahabalipuram
Festival date: The date shall be finalized by the Department of Tourism & Govt. of Tamilnadu at the end of November or the first week of December. But it starts probably after 15th December 2024.
Duration: 30 days
The Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, organizes the Mamallapuram Dance Festival in Mahabalipuram each year in December and January. This 30-day feast is a visual treat for art enthusiasts. The stunning backdrop of the Shore Temple, combined with the vivid performances, creates a memorable experience. Indian classical dances, such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Mohini Attam, Odissi, Kathak, and others, are performed by well-known exponents of the art on an open-air stage against the magnificent backdrop of the Pallava rock sculptures. Folk dancers bring a local flavor to the celebration. The dance festival has grown to become one of the most popular cultural events in India’s southern state.
Bhagavan’s Jayanti (Sri Ramana Maharshi’s birthday):
Venue: Sri Ramana Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
Date: 30th December 2024.
Today marks the birth anniversary of Sri Ramana Maharshi, India’s revered saint and philosopher. His teachings emphasized self-inquiry as a path to liberation (moksha). While there are no large-scale public celebrations, devotees all around the world observe this day with special pujas (prayers) and meditations dedicated to Sri Ramana. This day may be commemorated with special prayers or talks at the Sri Ramana Ashram in Tiruvannamalai. Special pujas (worship rituals) are planned, and devotees gather to chant songs and meditate in their honour. The ashram may also host seminars or other events commemorating Ramana Maharshi’s life and teachings.
Music Festival – Chennai
Venue: Music Academies in Chennai.
Festival Date: Dates will be finalized only in December or January.
Every year in December and January, the music festival will be held in Chennai. Clients must reserve tickets in advance to attend performances held in various halls, sabhas, and music academies in Chennai. The show will feature a variety of vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers. It’s a feast for those who love music.
Vaikunta Ekadasi: Opening of Paradise Door at Sri Rangam Temple:
Venue: Sriranganathaswamy temple, Trichy
Date: 10th January 2025
This is one of the most important Ekadasis. This falls on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight in the traditional Hindu calendar. This festival is being celebrated for 20 long days. The first 10 days are celebrated during the day and the next 10 days are celebrated during the night. Clients who stay at Trichy can witness this celebration during the day and night respectively as it will be interesting for them to watch the proceedings. Vaikunta Ekadesi festival is more elaborately celebrated by Vaishnavites. This is celebrated with great importance in Tirupati Balaji Temple & Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple. Apart from these temples, all the temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his incarnations in South India celebrate Vaikunta Ekadesi. The most important ritual on the day in temples is the opening of the Paradise door in Vishnu Temples. This door is only opened on the Vaikunta Ekadesi day and devotees can pass through it. Symbolically the door leads to the Vaikunta – the abode of Lord Vishnu. Clients can visit and walk through the paradise door if they wish. But they need to wait and go only in the queue which might take 2 hours. The Sanctum of Trichy Sri Rangam temple will be closed on Vaikunta Ekadesi day. Clients can have a great experience witnessing the celebration & the colourful crowd that visits the temple to take part in the festival. A couple of lakhs of people visit Sri Rangam temple on that day to take part in the celebration. Due to the huge crowd, vehicles will be stopped 1 km away from the temple for parking and everyone should walk at least a kilometre to reach the temple.
Arudra Darshan festival at Chidambaram:
Venue: Thillai Natarajar or Chidambaram Natarajar temple, Chidambaram
Festival Date: 13th January 2025
Arudra Darshan, also known as Thiruvathirai, is a Tamil festival that commemorates Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance, portrayed by his Nataraja form. It is a big event for the Shaivite community, who worship Lord Shiva as their principal god. It is a religious event celebrating Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance. It is a Saivite event held on the full moon night during the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January). The event is observed at all Shiva temples around the world, particularly in Chidambaram.
Float Festival (Meenakshi Amman Temple closed):
Venue: Mariamman Teppakulam, Madurai
Date: 11th February 2025
Every year, a float festival (known as the Theppam festival in Tamil) is held in January-February (on the day of the Poosam Star) on a full moon day at Shri Mariamman temple Theppakulam, a big tank. In a decked palanquin, the idols of Sri Meenakshi Amman and Lord Sundareswarar are transported to Theppakulam. Huge numbers of people visit this place to observe the celebration. As a result, Shri Meenakshi Amman Temple will be closed on that day, and people will be unable to visit the temple; nevertheless, they can attend the celebration at Shri Mariamman Tank/Temple.
The Mother’s Birth Anniversary:
Venue: Shri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry
Date: 21st February 2025
Mirra Alfassa, also known as The Mother or La Mère, was a French Indian spiritual guru, occultist, and yoga teacher who collaborated with Sri Aurobindo, whom he thought to be of equal yogic rank and referred to as “The Mother.” Sri Aurobindo and the mother worked together to embody and incarnate this divine consciousness on earth, using the Ashram as the starting point. The Mother, together with Sri Aurobindo, established the seeds of a new way of existence based on this greater consciousness. Devotees queue at Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry to celebrate Mirra Alfassa’s birth anniversary with special darshan. The day begins with a meditation around the samadhi. The Mother’s room in the ashram will be open for the devotees (this is one of the few special darshan days when devotees are allowed inside the rooms of The Mother or Sri Aurobindo).
Natyanjali Festival:
Venue: Thillai Natarajar temple, Chidambaram,
Festival date: It starts 05 days prior of Maha Shivaratri, and the main festival falls on 26th February 2025.
The Chidambaram Nataraja Temple has numerous festivals throughout the year, the most important of which is the Natyanjali Dance Festival. The Natyanjali Festival, which means “offering of dance,” honours Lord Shiva in his guise as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer. It is a five-day spectacle that takes place during the Tamil month of Maasi (February-March), coinciding with the holy event of Maha Shivaratri, the night dedicated to Lord Shiva. The festival is a combination of art and faith, bringing together dancers from across India to demonstrate their skills and pay tribute to Lord Shiva. It’s a stunning combination of artistic expression and spiritual commitment. Several ancient Indian dance genres, including Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak, Mohiniyattam, and Chhau, are performed on a huge platform within the temple complex. The rhythmic feet, beautiful movements, and expressive narrative through dance create a captivating ambience. The nights are filled with Carnatic music concerts, including renowned performers who captivate audiences with heartfelt interpretations of devotional songs dedicated to Lord Shiva. It’s a fantastic opportunity to discover Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural legacy. The event aims to promote and appreciate the beauty and diversity of Indian classical dance traditions. For dancers, dancing during the Natyanjali Festival is a great honor and an opportunity to devote their artistic talents to Lord Shiva.
Maha Shivaratri at Tiruvannamalai:
Venue: Sri Arunachaleshwarar temple, Tiruvannamalai.
Festival Date: 26th February 2025
Maha Shivaratri in Tiruvannamalai is a particularly unique and beautiful ceremony held between February and March since the city is revered as Lord Shiva’s holy birthplace. The festivities last many days, with the main event being the night of Maha Shivaratri. The entire temple complex is decorated with exquisite lighting, thousands of lights, diyas (oil lamps), and flowers. Devotees pack the temple throughout day and night, performing puja (worship rituals) and chanting hymns. Throughout the night, a special abhishekam (holy bath ceremony) is performed for the Shivalinga, Lord Shiva’s representative. These abhishekam employ sacred elements such as milk, ghee, and panchamrita (a blend of five nectars). One of the most impressive events is the massive procession of the ‘Thanga Ther’ (Golden Chariot) carrying Lord Shiva’s statue through the streets on the day before Maha Shivaratri. Many devotees conduct the Girivalam (circumambulation) around the holy Arunachala hill, which is considered a sacred pilgrimage. This can be achieved on foot or by following walking pathways around the hill’s base. It is a significant spiritual exercise for adherents of Maha Shivaratri. The entire town is infused with a religious and celebratory spirit. There will be street performers, religious music, and food vendors. People travel from all over India and even outside to participate.
Maha Shivaratri festival at Chidambaram Temple:
Venue: Thillai Natarajar or Chidambaram Natarajar temple, Chidambaram
Date: 26th February 2025
Maha Shivaratri, also known as the Great Night of Lord Shiva, is celebrated with great devotion in Chidambaram during the Tamil month of Masi (February-March). Devotees gather at the Nataraja Temple to participate in rituals, prayers, and night-long prayers. Chants and hymns reverberate throughout the temple, creating a beautiful setting for spiritual reflection. The event honours Lord Shiva’s marriage to Goddess Parvati, which represents the triumph of light over darkness.
Panguni Uthiram:
Venue: Thiruparankundrum Murugan Temple, Madurai
Date: 10th March 2025.
Panguni Uthiram is a Tamil Hindu festival. It is marked on the full moon of the month of Panguni (March to April). It falls on the day the moon transits the nakshatra of Uttiram in the twelfth month of Panguni of the Tamil calendar. Lord Murugan’s celestial wedding takes place every year in Tiruparangundram between March and April. Panguni Uthiram is a unique event for all Lord Murugan followers. The Tamil star Utharam in the Tamil month of Panguni is traditionally held as an extremely auspicious one for couples. Our temples reverberate with celebrations of these events during Panguni. Goddess Mahalakshmi’s celestial wedding to Mahavishnu took place on this day. Sita and Rama joined in holy matrimony on Panguni Utharam. Srivilliputtur Andal also married Ranganantha on this auspicious day. It is not only Vaishnavite literature that celebrates sacred weddings. Shiva married Parvati on Panguni Utharam. The marriage of Murugan and Deivayani is also celebrated on this day. On this day, God Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi (Lord Murugan’s parents) visit Tiruparankundram to host Lord Murugan’s wedding to Devainai, his Consort. As a result, the Meenakshi Amman Temple remained closed today.
Kulumai Amman Kutty Kudi (Goat Sacrifice) Festival:
Venue: Kulumaye Amman temple, Woraiyur, Trichy
Date: 11th March 2025
Kulumai Amman is a powerful village deity mainly for a particular community people in South India. A small Hindu temple dedicated to this Goddess is found near Uyyakondan in the Trichy region of South India. The festival is one of a kind, with the temple priest drinking the blood of a hundred goats to please the Goddess. In Tamil, ‘Kutti Kudithal’ means to taste lamb’s blood. Thousands of people gather on the temple’s grounds for the occasion. Kulumai Amman is a local God that primarily serves the Vellalar community people. During festival seasons, the site becomes extremely busy, with hundreds of goats and sheep being sacrificed. The highlight of the celebration is Marulali, the selected person to symbolize Goddess Kulumai Amman, who fasts for over a month in preparation for the rites. On the day of the Kutti Kudi festival celebration, Marulali accepts the goat sacrifice and drinks the gushing blood of the goats, which might often number over a thousand. Thousands of devotees from adjacent villages gather for the occasion. People love the festivities and the large feast that follows the ceremony. According to the organizers, devotees from diverse communities sacrifice approximately 1,200 goats each year during the Tamil month of Masi to seek the blessings of the Goddess Kuzhumayi Amman at the ‘Kutti Kudi’ event. The event lasts four days and includes the sacrifice of lambs on the third day. Devotees believe that the procedure will remove their curses and misfortunes. Many devotees carry the lambs to the celebration venue. The temple priest who is given the name Marulali for the event, dresses up as the village god Ondi Karuppu. He is then brought to the arena on two devotees’ shoulders, where he accepts the ‘offerings’ by tasting the goat blood. Following the rite, he provides counselling to the devotees.
As a customary practice, every year, the ‘Kutti Kudithal’ begins with the offering of lambs by the district administration, HR and CE departments, and the police department.
Masi Mahotsavam at Kamakshi amman temple, Kanchipuram
Venue: Kamakshi Amman temple, Kanchipuram
Festival Date: 12th March 2025
Masi Magam is one of the most-awaited festivals observed in Tamil Nadu. It is celebrated with utmost devotion, dedication and a lot of pomp and grandeur. People believe that by observing Masi Magam, they can be relieved of all types of suffering and sins. Masi Mahotsavam, an annual 21-day celebration held at the Kamakshi Amman temple in February and March, is divided into two sections. The first half of the event lasts 12 days and features the deity being transported in various vehicles, followed by a 9-day second part.
Chariot Festival – Kapaleeshwarar temple
Venue: Kapaleeshwarar temple, Chennai
Festival Date: 09th April 2025
On this occasion, the idols of God Kapaleeshwarar and his consort Goddess Karpagamabal will be placed in two separate decorated chariots and taken in procession through Mylapore’s main four streets, along with three other chariots dedicated to Lord Ganesha, Lord Karthikeya (also known as Subramaniya), and Lord Chandikeswarar. Devotees from many cities will attend this magnificent celebration, and a few will perform musical instruments and join in the parade. Due to the huge crowd, vehicles will be restricted and parked far away from the temple parking area, requiring people to walk for approximately 1.5 kilometres.
Arubathimoovar Festival:
Venue: Kapaleeshwarar temple, Chennai
Festival Date: 10th April 2025
63 Nayanmars are the Saivaite saints who throughout their lives praised and sang hymns in dedication to Lord Shiva. It is another famous festival in Mylapore. This festival honours the 63 saints who dedicated their lives to worshipping Lord Shiva. The event is held during the Tamil month of Panguni (March-April). On this day, all the 63 idols of Nayanmar (Shaivite Saints), the idol of God Kapaleeshwarar, the Goddess Karpagamabal, Lord Ganesha, Lord Karthikeya (also known as Subramaniya), and Lord Chandikeswarar are taken to the holy parade in a decorated palanquin. Approximately, the procession begins at 15:00 hrs and finishes at 22:30 hrs. Devotees from several cities will assemble to witness the festivity. Vehicles will be prohibited in this location; they will be parked far away from the temple parking area, requiring people to walk for approximately 1.5 kilometres
