On the first day of Vaikasi month, the people of Sorrikkampatty village gather together at the Karumparai Muthiah temple, worship the deity and tie the sacrificial goats at the temple premises. The ears of the goats are punched with holes to indicate that they are sacrificial goats given in favour of the temple. Such goats are declared as a sacred and allowed to graze freely in the surrounding villages. In six months’ time, the goats grow significantly in size. On the eve of the festival, a group of 300 people assemble at Karumparai to offer coconuts and fruits to the guardian deity. Ritualistic purification (Abhishekam) of the deity takes place along with the offering of Pongal. A single black goat is sacrificed by the priest of the temple. Following this all the other goats are also sacrificed. One team is given the task of overseeing the skinning and segregation of meat of the sacrificed goats. The blood and the liver of the goats are stored in separate terracotta pots and offered to the guardian deity. The rest of the meat is cooked in 20 separate firewood stoves in large quantities throughout the night. The next morning, over 5,000 people from neighboring villages gather for a massive feast. The cooked rice and the meat are placed as giant heaps on a platform. The mutton curry and steamed rice are served on banana leaves and hundreds of people are fed simultaneously. The festival highlights the unity and harmony among the villagers, as they come together to offer prayers, sacrifices, and share a grand feast.
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