Fairs and Festivals

This is an optional fast to propitiate the god Siva. It falls on the evening of the 12^th or 13^th lunar day, when special Pujas are offered to Siva in his temple which will be illuminated for the occasion. The devotees who observe the fast bathe and worship the god early in the morning and keep fasting till the evening when they take a second bath and attend the temple smearing their body with hold ashes. They also wear rosaries of Rudraksha. They circumambulate the temple reciting prayers to Siva till the Puja is over which will be behalf-past 7or 8 p.m. They give tender coconuts as offerings to the image. The priest will return these, to their owners who break their fast by opening them and drinking the water in them. They leave the temple taking along with them rice offered to the image. They parttake of this and nothing else that day. The Vilva or Koovala flowers sacred to Siva is the chief article of Puja to Siva.