Arattu is the closing day celebration of the10 day long festival of the Padmanabha Swamy Temple. The Pallivetta (Royal hunt) and Arattu processions are held twice a year from the Padmanabhaswamy temple to the Shangumugham beach. The Pallivetta is held on the eve of Arattu. 

It is led by the members of the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore state. The idols of Lord Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Lord Sree Krishna and Lord Sree Narasimha are brought in procession around the temple inside the fort and then down to a ritual purification in the Shanmukham Beach accompanied by six gold clothed elephants. Elaborate pujas and ceremonial processions are held during the festival. Several cultural programmes including all night Kathakali constitute the cultural fare.