The festival is celebrated in the month of Vrischigam (Nov-Dec) in the well known Siva shrine at Vykam in Travancore. Though the Malayalis take part in it, the majority of pilgrims come from Madura, Tanjore, Trichinopoly, Tirunelvelly. The chief part of the festival consists in the pilgrims worshipping Siva early in the morning before day break. This worship goes on till morning. The Brahmans among the pilgrims is given a grand feast and in the night the God is carried in procession round the temple on richly caparisoned elephant with all the temple paraphernalia. It is considered highly meritorious to worship the god before the sun's rays fall on the copper plate roofing of the temple, so devotees rush to the temple at early dawn. Merchants congregate from distant places and all sorts of wares are for sale.