Kerala capital city hosts Attukal Pongala, the largest women gathering in the world

Billed as the largest women religious congregation of world, Kerala's capital city hosted Attukal Pongala today.

The annual festival held in and around 15 kilometers radius of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, started with lighting of earthen hearths after pooja at 10:15 am.

Attukal Pongala celebrations (Image for representation)

Temple's vedic priest Parameshwaran Vasudevan Bhattathirpadu handed over the pyre to head priest Vamanan Nampoothiri to light up the earthen hearths lined up around 15 kilometer radius of the temple in the city.

300 priests shared the holy pyre to the Hundreds of thousands of women devotees for cooking the rice porridges with jaggery and coconut to mark the festival.

Attukal Pongala celebrations (Image for representation)

Roads, by-lanes and highways were filled with women devotees participating in the festival. Sanctification of the Pongala offering will be held at 2:30 pm today marking the end of the ritual.

According to Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Devaswom, the government has taken all security measures to ensure the safety of women devotees and deployed 4,000 police personnel in the city.

Attukal Pongala celebrations (Image for representation)

"Drone security cameras also used for the surveillance. Around three million women are participating in the festival," Kadakampally Surendran told India Today.

Pongala traditionally a harvest festival now attracts women in large number to Attukal Bhagavathy temple. A large number of foreign tourists are also participating in the festival. Devotees observe a 9 day fast as part of their penance and seek the blessing of the deity.

Attukal Pongala celebrations (Image for representation)

Controversy marred the Attukal Pongala after Director General of Police R. Sreelekha alleged in her blog that Kuthiyottam, a ritual performed by boys under 12 was a case of child abuse and punishable under various sections juvenile justice act. Chief Secretary Paul Antony issued show cause notice against her for making controversial comments as a civil servant.

Minister Kadakampally also termed her comments as "untimely and not based on facts". According to him Kuthiyottam will be held at 7:45 pm today as scheduled.