Attukal Pongala: All You Need To Know About The World's Largest Gathering Of Women

In Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, the festival known as Attukal Pongala is observed by only women. Attukal Bhagavathy, also referred to as Goddess Kannaki or Bhadrakali, is honoured during this festival. Attukal Bhagavathy Temple hosts the festival, which lasts for ten days.

On Tuesday, tens of thousands of women are anticipated to form a line in the streets of Kerala's capital to participate in the annual Attukal Pongala festival. During the festival, followers offer the presiding deity pongala, a gruel made of rice, jaggery, ghee, and coconut. It's interesting that it's one of the biggest women's gathering festivals ever recorded.

The pongala offering begins at 10.30 am when the temple's chief priest will light the stove with fire brought from the sanctum sanctorum. Temple priests sprinkle holy water at the end of the ceremony.

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What Is Attukal Pongala?

• According to the Malayalam calendar, this festival, known as Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam, starts in the month of Kumbham. It is observed annually and takes place in either February or March. A sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam is a part of the religious celebrations that last for ten days.
• Typically, the temple—often referred to as the Sabarimala of women—is crowded with women from neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Kerala for the festival.
• The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala is visited primarily by men, whereas Attukal Temple is referred to as the Women's Sabarimala because only women can perform rituals there.
• With over 2.5 million participants, the ritual entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 as the largest religious gathering of women on a single day.
• Police and the fire department have made extensive preparations in anticipation of the large attendance this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that the festival is celebrated without any problems or inconvenience to the general public.

History and Significance:

According to legend, Goddess Kannaki possesses the combined abilities of Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom; Lakshmi, the Goddess of abundance; and Kali, the Goddess of strength and will. Goddess Kannaki is revered as a supreme deity who fulfils the requests of her followers.

On this special day, worshippers present Goddess Kannaki with bangles. The temple is visited by a sea of female devotees performing several rituals and rites on the ninth day, which is referred to as Pooram. In earthenware pots, devotees prepare pongala, a sweet dish made of rice, jaggery, ghee, and coconut.