The legend is that once Lord Brahma held a pot containing nectar and the seed of creation; Lord Shiva, in the form of a hunter, came and shot an arrow at the pot. The nectar spilled into the famous Mahamagam tank at the Adi Kumbeswara Temple.

Devotees believe that water from the sacred Ganges River and eight more holy rivers gets together on this day in this tank. During this festival, nearly two million pilgrims come here to take a holy dip.