Attukal Pongala Festival in Kerala
AttukalPongala or the ‘Festival of Women’ is among the most devout festivals in Kerala. Celebrated mainly in the AttukalBhagavathi Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, this holy festival has been declared as the ‘Largest Single Gathering of Women’ by the Guinness Society!
An annual ten-day festival that is usually celebrated during the Makaram-Kumbham month of Malayalam calendar (between February and March), women during this pious festival makes sacrificial offerings during the night. These offerings are called ‘Kuruthitharpanam’; most of the women prepare these offerings by themselves and offer it to the Goddess.
The ninth day of AttukalPongala is considered as the holiest. On this day, women from all religious background gather around the temple and cook pongal or sacrificial offering to Goddess. This practice begins in the early hours of the day and continues till the late afternoon. Upon completion of cooking, the head priest blesses all the women, who then take back the pongal to their homes. During the latter part of the day, locals carry the idol of the Gooddess to ManacaudSasthan Temple. A large and colourful procession of Thalapoli, Kuthiyottom, Annam, Vahana, and decorated elephants takes the idol to the temple.
Celebrated Across:AttukalBhagavathi Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
Celebration Month: Makaram-Kumbham Month(February and March)
Last Celebrated On:23rd February, 2016
Next Celebration On:11th March, 2017
