The festival is held from 4 to 13 January every year at Kuthira Malika, Thiruvananthapuram, where the Maharaja is believed to have composed many of his works.

The festival is a tribute to Swathi Tirunal and is exclusively dedicated to his compositions.

[2] The Government of Kerala used to conduct the festival in Kuthiramalika in memory of Swathi Thirunal.

In the late 90s, after they decided to hold it in different places all over Kerala and discontinued the festival at Kuthiramalika, Rama Varma Maharaja took the initiative to continue the annual festival under the Travancore Trust.

[3] The festival is organized by Prince Rama Varma, Carnatic musician and direct descendant of Swathi Tirunal.