Women devotees thronged Thiruvananthapuram for Attukal Pongala, a grand ritual honoring Kannaki, with special arrangements ensuring smooth festivities
Thiruvananthapuram: Tens of thousands of women devotees, cutting across caste and creed offered Pongala to Attukal Amma in the Kerala capital on Thursday.
The Attukal Pongala is the most important ritual at the Attukal Temple which is popularly known as the ‘Sabarimala of women’. The ritual began at 10.15 am with the lighting of the Pandara Adupu, the main hearth placed on the temple premises which is used or preparing Pongala.
The hearth was lighted with the lamp brought from sanctum sanctorum in the presence of chief priest Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathirippadu, Melshanthi V Muraleedharan Namboothiri.
Thousands of women set up Pnogala hearths within 12 km radius of the temple. The special offering prepared for the Devi includes rice, ghee, banana, jaggery, and coconut.
Attukal Pongala festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the 10 day annual festival at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple. The temple is devoted to Kannaki, the heroine of Ilangovadikal's Tamil epic Silappadikaram. The legend has it that Kannaki cursed the city of Madurai and its kings for killing her husband to death.
While returning after destroying Madurai city, she stopped at Attukal. According to believers, Pongala is offered to celebrate Kannaki's victory over the Madurai kings.
Thousands of women literally took over the Captial city since Wednesday night, occupying almost all main roads leading to the temple. With temperatures rising during the day, the devotees had to take shelter in shades to brave the scorching sun.
Every nook and corner of the city was lined up with pongala hearths.
Hundreds of voluntary organizations, including residents associations provided free food and water to thousands of devotees. Some of the voluntary organizations operated free private rides for devotees returning home after pongala.
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Indian Railways ensured smooth transportation for the devotees by operating special services and additional stops.
Back in 2009, Attukal Pongala was acknowledged as the largest gathering of women by the Guinness Book of World Records. More than 2.5 million women took part in the festival that year.
