Traditionally, this period is considered an auspicious time and it is believed that the veteran Bhishma of Mahabharata chose to die during this period. Bhishma fell to the arrows of Arjun. With his boon to choose the time of his death, he waited on a bed of arrows to depart from this world during this holy period. It is believed that those who die in this period are free from the cycle of rebirth. The one month following it is considered to be very auspicious and is called 'Dhamnurtmasam'.
People rise early in the morning, take baths and go on the streets to sing devotional songs.
The girls, dressed in beautiful colorful customs, go in groups singing around. Houses and warehouses are cleaned and the front yards of the houses are adorned with rangolies or muggulu, which are beautiful floral design drawn on the floor with rice powder, a fine limestone powder, further decorated with marigold flowers placed on cowdung ball. Karnataka also celebrates this festival in a unique style. Families visit friends and relatives dressed in colorful clothes. They exchange sugarcane pieces, a mixture of fried til, molasses, dry coconut pieces, peanuts and fried gram, which signifies that sweetness should prevail amongst them in whatever they do.