The festivals that are celebration
at this holy place are chiefly three Chokka-Dahana.
It is also called (Fire). It takes place on Kartika Shuddha Poornima every
year.
Phala Pooja
This festival is also called 'Siri'. It will be held on
Margasira Bahula Dwitiya. This is a very rare festival performed to God and
Goddess throught the world. In almost all the temples Kalayanaotsava (Wedding
ceremony) is performed for God and Goddess, but for the Sri Virupaksha Swamy prior
to Kalyanaotsava Phalapooja festival
(marriage fixing ceremony) is performed for three days.
The ceremony starts on Margashira
Poornima (Full Moon day) (roughly in the month of December). On that day Sri
Virupaksha Swamy thepposavam festival (placing God and Goddess in decorated
boat like vessel) and making five rounds in the big pond (Manmukha kunda) situated in the North-East direction of the main
temple. On the third day i.e. on Margashira Krishna Dwiteeya after the
completion of third abhishekam for Lord
Sri Virupaksha Swamy, the God and Goddess are placed on silver Vrishabha Vahana (Silver Bull) and taken
to Sri Kodanda Ramaswamy temple in a grand procession.
Here for this rare ceremony Sri
Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sri Hampi Virupaksha Vidyaranya Samasthanam will
participate from (Bride groom side) and Sri Kodanda Rama Swamy Devi Sita
lakshamana and King Sugreeva from Goddess side (Bride's side). In this festival
the auspicious day and hour of the wedding ceremoney of Virupaksheshwara swamy
is decided.
The Kalyanotsava and Rathosava (Car festival ) of Sri Virupaksheshwara is also called 'Sampathi'. There is a tradition from long past to celebrate the rathotsava of Sri Chandra Mouleshwara the worshipping deity of Sri Vidyaranya along with that of Sri Pampa Virupaksheshwara in separate chariots.