Thousands of Women Take Part in Attukal Pongala Festival in Kerala’s Capital
Festival showcases real “Kerala Story”; mosques, churches open their premises for Hindu devotees
Thiruvananthapuram: Tens of thousands of women devotees, transcending caste and creed, offered Pongala to Attukal Amma in Kerala’s capital on Tuesday.
The Attukal Pongala is the most significant ritual at the Attukal Temple, often called the ‘Sabarimala of women’. The ceremony began with lighting the Pandara Adupu, the main hearth on the temple premises used for preparing Pongala (prasadam). This hearth was lit with a lamp brought from the sanctum sanctorum in the presence of the temple tantri, Thekkadath Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathiripad, and was kindled by the assistant priest at 9:45 a.m.
Thousands of women set up Pongala hearths within a 12 km radius of the temple, preparing offerings for the Devi that included rice, ghee, banana, jaggery, and coconut.
The Chief Priest sanctified the Pongala at 2:45 pm by sprinkling holy water and blessing the devotees, who then offered the Pongala. The Attukal Pongala festival takes place on the ninth day of the 10-day annual celebration at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, dedicated to Kannaki, the heroine of Ilangovadikal's Tamil epic *Silappadikaram*.
According to legend, Kannaki cursed the city of Madurai and its kings for killing her husband. On her return after destroying Madurai, she stopped at Attukal, and believers say Pongala is offered to honor her victory over the Madurai kings. Since Monday night, thousands of women filled the capital city, occupying nearly all main roads to the temple. As the day grew hotter, devotees sought shade to escape the scorching sun, while every corner of the city was lined with Pongala hearths.
Festival showcases communal harmony
The festival highlighted the state’s rich tradition of communal harmony, with mosques and churches welcoming women devotees. An appeal by V. P. Suhaib Maulavi, Imam of Thiruvananthapuram’s prominent Palayam Mosque, urging mosques and Muslim households to open their doors to Hindu devotees, went viral on social media. The mosque committees at Palayam and Manacaud provided facilities such as freshening-up areas, refreshments, drinking water, and resting spaces for the devotees, while St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Palayam also offered resting spaces, water, and refreshments.
Hundreds of voluntary organizations, including residents’ associations, offered free food and water to thousands of devotees. Some even arranged free private rides for those heading home after Pongala. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Indian Railways made sure transportation ran smoothly by running special services and adding extra stops. In 2009, Attukal Pongala earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest gathering of women, with over 2.5 million participants that year.
