Such hours are marked by the tolling of the heavy bell on the hill, to awaken the attention of all devotees to the lord's worship being performed at that time. The bell can be heard in all of the countryside surrounding Palani on a quiet day. Apart from worshiping within the temple precincts, a Lord's idol, called the Uthsavamoorthy, is also carried in state around the temple, in a golden chariot, drawn by devotees, most evenings in a year. During the period July 2015 to June 2016, the temple was the richest among temples in the state, with a collection of 33 crores.
One of the temple 's main rituals is the tonsuring of devotees, who in imitation of the Lord of Palani promise to sacrifice their heads. Another is the anointing at night, before the temple is closed for the day, of the head of the presiding deity's idol with sandalwood paste. Upon being allowed to remain overnight, the paste is said to acquire medicinal properties, and is much sought after and distributed to devotees, as is the case with rakkāla chanda enthusiasts.Traditionally, Palani 's hill-temple is supposed to be closed in the afternoon and very early in the evening to allow the deity to sleep adequately, being but a boy, and therefore easily exhausted by the throngs of devotees and their constant importation. A tradition that is not well known is that of the Paul-Arai or bedroom, in which the Lord is told by the temple custodians of the day about the status of the accounts of the temple each night, and then put to sleep by the singing of an ōdhuvār or bard.Devotees bring kavadi, an ornamental mountain covered with flowers, glazed paper and tinsel work, and long distance wearing ochre clothes is a common custom of worship.
It is believed that Panchamirdam (mixture of five) is a divine blend prepared by Vinayagar at the end of the divine encounter. He mixed, and distributed to Shiva Karthikeya, honey, dates, banana, raisins, and jaggery. The custom is followed in modern times, when Panchamirdam as a Prasad is given to the devotees.