Devotees from all over the island come to Vattrapalai Kannagai Amman Temple on Vaikasi Visakam and cook Sakkarai Pongal and offer to Kannaki Amman.

Make Pongal, eat and sleep there.

They leave the following day.

Devotees take Kaavadi , Thookku Kaavadi , Paal Kudam and Katpoora Chatti to fulfill their vows.

Thookku Kavadi devotees came all the way from Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Mannar, Kandy and Colombo.

This time 500,000 devotees attended according to Thamizh Ezha Kavalthurai.

Last year it was more than 500,000.

After tsunami and current uncertainty in the country only 500,000 attended this time.

This time more women devotees attended, than ever before according to Thamizh Ezha Kavalthurai.

Only once a year devotees gather here in such a large numbers.

In this temple lamps are lit in sea water (that's what it's famous for), not in oil.