Alappuzha: Thousands women offered Pongala to Chakkulathukavu Bhagavathy at Neerettupuram, near Thiruvalla as part of the Pongala festival of the temple on Sunday.
All roads leading to the temple were taken over by the women devotees. A one kilometre radius around the temple was packed with women taking up every available space to prepare the recipe divine for the Goddess.
The temple authorities claimed that about 12 lakh devotees performed the Pongala and elaborate arrangements were made on the premises of the temple and nearby places for offering Pongala.
The temple karyadersi, Manikuttan Namboothiri, said that the pongala hearths were arranged by the devotees on the roads to nearby places, Thakazhi, Harippad, Mavelikkara,Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Pandalam, Kidangara and Muthoor.
The ritual began with a ganapathi homam at 3.30 am. The temple's chief priest Radhakrishnan Namboodiri lit the main pongala hearth in front of the temple with the fire brought from the sanctum sanctorum at 8.30 am.
Amidst chanting of hymns, the devotees started preparing pongala. A team of priests headed by the managing trustee of the temple accepted the pongala payasam prepared by the devotees later.
BJP state general secretary K. Surendran inaugurated a meeting that was held in connection with the Pongala. MLA Mathew T. Thomas attended the function.
Union minister of state for labour Kodikunnil Suresh inaugurated a cultural meet that was part of the festival. Thomas Chandy, MLA presided over the meeting.
UN expert committee member C. V. Anandabose ignited the karthika deepasthampaham. The 12-day fasting festival of the temple will begin on December 16 and conclude on December 27. A narry (ladies) pooja will be held on December 20.
