THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tens of thousands of women devotees cutting across caste and creed offered the ceremonial Pongala – one of the most awaited and most important rituals during the annual festival at the Attukal Temple, known as the ‘Sabarimala of women’ - on Wednesday.
The pongala chain spread over a 10-km radius of the temple and all main roads leading to it, and the women literally took over the city. However, at many stretches, the pongala spread was scattered as the devotees had to take shelter in shades from the scorching sun.
Pongala hearth lined up every nook and corner of the city a day ahead of the ritual. The proceedings began with the chief priest lighting the stove with fire brought from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at 10.15 am. Around 250 priests were deployed for sprinkling the holy water on the Pongala offerings at 2.15 pm. The ten-day long festival will culminate on Thursday.
Around 25 inmates of Attakulangara women's jail offered pongala on its premises. As in the previous years, many celebrities and VIP wives also occupied the street to cook for the goddess.
Governor P. Sathasiv-am’s wife Saraswathi Sathasivam offered pongala on the Attukal Tem-ple premises while the spouse of DGP Loknath Behra preferred the Police Headquarters at Vazhuthacaud. Other celebrities who offered pongala include Chippy, Jalaja, Seema G. Nair, Parvathy and playback singer K. S. Chithra.
