The ritual was usually conducted approximately every 10–12 years for all girls, including infants, within a "tharavad" who had not previously been the subject of it. Higher-ranked groups within the caste, however, would perform the ritual more frequently than this and in consequence the age range at which it occurred was narrower, being roughly between age 10 and 13. This increased frequency would reduce the likelihood of girls from two generations being involved in the same ceremony, which was forbidden. The "karnavan" organised the elaborate ritual after taking advice from prominent villagers and also from a traditional astrologer, known as a "Kaniyan". A "pandal" was constructed for the ceremony and the girls wore ornaments specifically used only on those occasions, as well as taking a ritual bath in oil. The ornaments were often loaned as only a few villagers would possess them. The person who tied the "thali" would be transported on an elephant. The higher the rank of that person then the greater the prestige reflected on to the "tharavad", and also "vice versa" since some people probably would refuse to act as tier in order to disassociate themselves from a group and thereby bolster their claims to be members of a higher group. Although information is far from complete, those who tied the "thali" for girls of the aristocratic Nair families of Cochin in Central Kerala appear to have been usually Samantans, who were of higher rank, or occasionally the Kshatriyas, who were still higher. The Nambudiri Brahmins of Central Kerala acted in that role for the royal house of Cochin (who were Kshatriyas), but whether they did so for other Kshatriyas is less certain. The Kshatriyas would tie for the Samantans. Having the "thali" of each girl tied by a different man was more prestigious than having one tier perform the rite for several girls. The "thali" tying was followed by four days of feasting, and on the fourth day the marriage was dissolved.