Attukal Pongala
Attukal is a Hindu pilgrim center in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, one of the ancient temples of South India, is popularly described as Sabarimala of the Women.
The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice existing in the south Kerala and Tamilnadu. In Attukal temple, the Pongala Mahotsavam is a ten-day programme which starts on the Karthika star of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March) and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam at night. The Pongala offering is on the ninth day. The entire area of about 5 kilometre radius around temple with premises of houses of people of all caste, creed and religion, open fields, roads, commercial institutions, premises of Government offices etc. emerges as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala rituals for lakhs of women devotees assembling from different parts of Kerala and outside. The ceremony is exclusively confined to women folk and the enormous crowd, which gathers in Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day is reminiscent of the Kumbhamela Festival of North India.
Event Date : February 21, 2008
Venue: Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
In February, we invite you to witness the largest annual gathering of women for a religious purpose, which has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is the Pongala festival celebrated at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, at Attukal in Thiruvananthapuram District.
Only women are allowed to participate in this ritual. Right from the previous night, thousands of women, regardless of caste, creed and colour assemble at the temple premises and on either side of the roads leading to the shrine to make the Pongala offering. Devotees from across the country and even from abroad participate in the ritual.
The word Pongala means to boil over and refers to the ritual offering, which consists of rice porridge, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. This offering is considered as most pleasing to the mother goddess who is the presiding deity.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thiruvananthapuram Central, about 2 kmsNearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 7 kms.
The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice existing in the south Kerala and Tamilnadu. In Attukal temple, the Pongala Mahotsavam is a ten-day programme which starts on the Karthika star of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March) and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam at night. The Pongala offering is on the ninth day. The entire area of about 5 kilometre radius around temple with premises of houses of people of all caste, creed and religion, open fields, roads, commercial institutions, premises of Government offices etc. emerges as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala rituals for lakhs of women devotees assembling from different parts of Kerala and outside. The ceremony is exclusively confined to women folk and the enormous crowd, which gathers in Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day is reminiscent of the Kumbhamela Festival of North India.
Event Date : February 21, 2008
Venue: Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
In February, we invite you to witness the largest annual gathering of women for a religious purpose, which has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is the Pongala festival celebrated at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, at Attukal in Thiruvananthapuram District.
Only women are allowed to participate in this ritual. Right from the previous night, thousands of women, regardless of caste, creed and colour assemble at the temple premises and on either side of the roads leading to the shrine to make the Pongala offering. Devotees from across the country and even from abroad participate in the ritual.
The word Pongala means to boil over and refers to the ritual offering, which consists of rice porridge, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. This offering is considered as most pleasing to the mother goddess who is the presiding deity.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thiruvananthapuram Central, about 2 kmsNearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 7 kms.
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