Thiruvananthapuram: Braving the scorching sun, thousands of women from across Kerala, other states, and even abroad gathered in the state capital on Thursday to offer 'pongala' to the presiding deity of the Attukal Bhagavathy temple.
Clad in white shawls, caps, or shielding themselves with umbrellas, the women set up makeshift brick stoves along roads stretching for several kilometers in the heart of the city. Many had arrived as early as Wednesday night to secure designated spots for their stone stoves.
Among the devotees, a group of Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, who have been protesting outside the Secretariat for over a month demanding higher honorariums and post-retirement benefits, also performed the ritual at their protest site.
Several celebrities, including actor Jairam’s wife Parvathy and their daughter-in-law, participated in the sacred ceremony. Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi’s family, like in previous years, performed the ritual at their residence.
Political leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, party MLA M Vincent, LDF ministers G R Anil, V N Vasavan, and P A Mohamed Riyas, as well as BJP leader and former Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar, were present at the temple to witness the grand ceremony.
Speaking to a TV channel, Tharoor noted the increasing number of devotees each year, except during the COVID-19 period. He described the heavy crowds he observed upon arriving in the city from Delhi on Wednesday evening. "Today morning when I left home, I saw that it was crowded everywhere," he added.
The sacred ritual commenced at 10:10 AM when the chief priest lit the main stove (Pandara Aduppu) near the shrine, signaling the start of the annual event. As the rhythmic beats of drums and temple music echoed, thousands of women simultaneously lit their stoves, preparing 'pongala'—a sweet offering made from rice, jaggery, and grated coconut in fresh earthen or metal pots.
The pongala ritual, an all-women offering considered highly auspicious, forms a vital part of the Attukal temple's annual festival. The temple, often referred to as the "Women's Sabarimala," will conclude the ceremony with temple priests sprinkling holy water over the offerings in the afternoon.
Authorities made extensive arrangements to provide food, water, and medical aid to the devotees, while police and fire services implemented measures, including traffic restrictions and parking regulations, to ensure a smooth and safe celebration.
The pongala festival marks the culmination of the temple’s ten-day annual ritual. The celebrations begin with the "Kappukettu ceremony," during which members of authorized families recite the Goddess's story (Kannaki Charitam), invoking the presence of Kodungallur Bhagavathy and the mythical slaying of the Pandiyan King. The recitation spans nine days and reaches a dramatic climax, accompanied by the beating of temple drums and fervent chants from devotees, leading to the grand pongala offering—a symbolic representation of the victory of good over evil.
The festival earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 as the largest religious gathering of women on a single day, with 2.5 million participants.
According to local legend, the festival commemorates the warm hospitality extended by the women of the region to Kannagi, the heroine of the Tamil epic 'Silappadhikaram', after she set fire to Madurai in vengeance for the wrongful execution of her husband, Kovalan, who had been falsely accused of theft.
With PTI inputs
