At Talakad sand covers the temples. Among the temples of Talakad, the Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanathee-shwara and Mallikarjuna temples, the five Lingams believed to represent the five faces of Shiva, form the Pancha pathi and have become famous. In honour of these five Shiva temples, a fair is held once every 12 years called Panchalinga Darshana.

The Panchalinga Darshana is held on a new moon day in the month of Karthika when two stars conjoin, the stars of Khuja Yoga and Vishaka. On this day, tradition is, that pilgrims should first bathe in the Gokarna theertham, worship Gokarneswara and Chandikadevi and then worship Vaidyeshwara and then bathe in the northern eastern southern and western stretches of the Kaveri and then worship Arkeshwara, Pataleshwara, Maraleshwara and Mallikarjuna, returning to Vaidyeshwara after each worship, finally worship Kirtinarayana and conclude the pilgrimage in one day. The Pataleshwara Shivalingam is said to change colors during the day (red in the morning, black in afternoon and white in the evening).