Thousands of Devotees Participate in Attukal Pongala Festival in Kerala’s Capital

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city is adorned with a jubilant atmosphere as this year’s Attukal Pongala unfolds. Goshala Vishnu Vasudevan Namboodiri, the chief priest of Attukal Devi Temple, ceremoniously lit the sacred hearth at 10:30 am, marking the commencement of the festivities.

Scheduled for 2:30 pm, the offering of nivedyam will witness the departure of thousands of women devotees back to their homes, having participated in this revered tradition.

The flame, symbolizing divine grace, was brought from the Attukal Temple by the deputy priest to ignite the Pongala pot placed outside the temple premises. Across the capital, priests designated by the temple will ignite the hearths of devout followers, echoing the spiritual fervor that characterizes this event. Widely recognized as the “Sabarimala of women,” this festival proudly holds the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of women devotees.

The Pongala festival serves as a magnificent convergence of women devotees, both local and from distant places, who come together to prepare offerings on red brick hearths lining the streets. Among the delicacies prepared are the iconic Pongala payasam, comprising rice, jaggery, scraped coconut, powdered cardamom, fried cashew nuts, and raisins, alongside other traditional treats like mandaputtu, therali, and white nivedyam. This festival culminates the ten-day-long ritual observed at the shrine, infusing the air with spirituality and communal harmony.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, sharing the moment on his social media platform, expressed, “The hearth has just been lit. Now, all await the offering to be cooked and boil over the sides of the ceremonial pot. #AttukalPongala.”

Dressed in a maroon-colored kurta adorned with a silk shawl, Tharoor was captured capturing the essence of the occasion with his mobile camera. The event also saw the presence of esteemed dignitaries including Senior Congress MP K Muraleedharan, General Education Minister V Sivankutty, Food and Civil Supplies Minister GR Anil, veteran BJP leader O Rajagopal, Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation Mayor Arya Rajendran, Deputy Mayor PK Raju, BJP leader Krishna Kumar, and Vattiyoorkavu MLA VK Prasanth.

Despite a slight drizzle on Sunday morning causing some concern among the devoted gathering within the 10-kilometer radius of the capital city, the eventual clearing of the skies brought relief to both temple authorities and devotees alike, ensuring the seamless continuation of the sacred rituals.