The 10 days religious festival; Attukal Pongala is celebrated yearly at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in the capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram.
Thousands of women gather in the state capital to participate in the festival and make ritual offerings, including sweet rice pudding, jaggery, grated coconut, ghee and banana. All these offerings are to be prepared in earthen pots.
The festivities begin with the lighting of the hearthstone at the Attukal temple. Thekkedath Kuzhikkattillathu Parameswaran Vasudeva Bhattathiripad. The tantri will be handing over the flame from the sanctorum to the chief priest P.Kesavan Namboothiri. Thereafter the chief priest lights up the Pongala hearths at the Thidappally (the place where prasadam is prepared) and Valiya Thidapally.
Then this flame would be transferred to the assistant priest who will light the Pandara Aduppu (main hearth). The lightening of the Pandara Aduppu acts as a signal after which thousands of brick ovens in other parts of the temple and all across the city are lit up.
The authorities are expecting a bigger gathering of people since this is the first time post-COVID-19 that the festivities are happening following all the customs as done in the pre-covid times.
This festival is marked as the largest annual gathering of women and is acknowledged for the same by the Guinness World Records too.
SIGNIFICANCE OF ATTUKAL PONGALA
It is one of the largest gatherings of women at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple (also known as Sabarimala for women).
Women every year prepare auspicious Pongal offerings for the Goddess Bhagavathy. The Pongal preparations begin with a ritual called Aduppuvettu i.e. lighting of the Pongal hearth. It is believed by many people that the observance of Attukal Pngala brings good luck and prosperity. It is a festival that brings with it love, light and happiness.
ATTUKAL TEMPLE
The main deity of this temple is Goddess Bhadrakali, mounted over Vethala. Goddess Bhadrakali is a form of Goddess Mahakali, who killed the demon king Daruka.
The mythology of this temple is associated with the story of Kannagi who was married to Kovalan. Kovalan was the son of a wealthy merchant. After marriage, Kovalan met a dancer Madhavi and spent and started spending all his resources on her. On becoming moneyless, the last valuable thing left with him was Kannagi’s anklet and went ahead to sell it to the King of Madurai. He was mistaken for theft and beheaded by the king.
Kannagi was infuriated with anger and cursed the city of Madurai and it is believed that due to her chastity, the curse became true and Madhurai burned. Kannagi is said to have attained salvation when the Goddess of the city appeared in front of her.
While passing Attukal, she took the form of a girl and asked an old man to help her cross the river. Seeing the small girl alone, he took her to his home and after a while, the girl disappeared. To his surprise, she, later on, appeared in his dream and asked him to build a temple where 3 golden lines are found. It is believed that this is the location of the present-day Attukal temple.
Word Bhadrakali traces its origin from two words “Bhadra” meaning good and “Kali” meaning goddess of time, therefore, Goddess Bhadrakali is believed to be the goddess of prosperity and salvation.
There is also a story that Pongala is offered to celebrate the victory of Kannaki over king Pandaya. There is another story saying that Attukal Devi is Bhadrakali born from the third eye of lord Shiva.
