Attukal Pongala

Attukal Pongala

It is a popular women's festival celebrated in Attukal Bhagavati temple, one of the ancient temples dedicated to goddess about 2km from Thiruvananthapuram. This 10 day long Pongala Utsavam commences from the Bharani day (Karthika star) of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March). Pongala is a form of sweet porridge, which is considered to be the goddess's favourite offering. It is prepared by cooking jaggery, coconut kernal, and plantain in a specific proportion. The ritual starts early morning and by noon the offering is ready. Men are not allowed in the vicinity of the temple during the pongala. The main priest holding the goddess sword, moves around the temple courtyard and blesses devotees by sprinkling holy water and showering flowers.

The annual 'pongala' festival is celebrated with great fervor at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple popularly known as the 'Sabarimala of women' at Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala. Pongala, held on the ninth day of the ten-day-long festival, is the most important ritual of the temple. This festival is said to be the largest annual gathering of women in the world.

'Pongala' means to boil over, and it refers to the customary offering of things which pleases the goddess. Devotees from all walks of life, irrespective of their social status, religion and cast, throng the temple to offer the 'pongala'- a sweet rice, prepared in earthen pots with rice, jaggery and coconut, to the Goddess. Only women are allowed to participate in this custom.

The ritual of cooking starts early in the morning and by noon, Pongala would be ready. Then the chief priest of the temple arrives with the Goddess’s sword and blesses the ladies by sprinkling holy water and showering flowers. The ladies take this blessed Pongala back to their houses. It is widely believed that the Goddess Bhagawati can make your wishes come true if you participate in this festival and the women do the rituals for health and prosperity of their families.

There is a legend behind this festival. Attukal is said to be one of the places where Goddess Attukalamma, believed to be the incarnation of 'Kannaki', (heroine of 'Silappathikaram' by Tamil Poet Illango in the 2nd century A.D) took rest on her journey northward from Madurai to Kodungallur.

Pongala festival has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest attendance of women on February 23, 1997. 1.5 million women had participated in that year's Pongala.