THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cutting across age barriers, thousands of women took part in the famous "Attukal Pongala," one of the largest religious congregations of women, here Wednesday.

The Pongala offering began in front of Attukal temple at 10.15 am on Wednesday with the temple chief priest Vishnu Namboothiri lighting the traditional hearth.

Devotees across the city lit small hearths they had set up along the road to cook rice and jaggery, which will be proffered later as offerings to the presiding deity of the temple. The flame from the sacred hearth in the temple precincts was passed on quickly in several directions.

Devotees chanted the hymns "Amme Saranam, Devi Saranam" loudly.

The famed pongala offering came to an end with the temple chief priest Vishnu Namboothiri spraying holy water on the cooked rice and jaggery at 2.15 pm. Devotees spread across the city packed their bags and were seen busy to catch buses for a safe return to home.  

Unlike previous years, the pongala ritual has concluded earlier. Thampanoor, East Fort, MG road witnessed heavy rush due to the return of devotees. The police had to work hard in controlling the traffic.        

A total of 250 priests were looking after the offering taking place in the city. Various voluntary organisations and residents' associations came together to support the devotees by supplying drinking water and food.  KSRTC too ran hundreds of special services. Chooralkuthu as part of the Kuthiyottam ritual associated with the festival will be held at the temple at 7 pm. 

Sanitation drive by the corporation has begun to clean the streets of the city. Over 300 volunteers have been participating in the drive. The workers are also told to keep the bricks on the roadside as the corporation will take it for constructing houses for the destitute.  

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Devotees from other states and districts booked their place to set up hearths two days ago itself. 

Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran, MP Shashi Tharoor, MLA O Rajagopal, MLA K Muraleedharan and Mayor VK Prasanth were present at the temple.

As many as 3700 policemen were deployed as part of security.

Marking the first Attukal Pongala after the SC verdict decriminalising Section 377, fifteen transgender persons led by state Transgender board member Surya Ishan are offering Pongala at Ottukal Theruvu, Chattambi Swami junction.

Kaithamukku Surya, while speaking to Express, said: "I've been offering Pongala to Attukal Amma for the last twenty-five years. We are a team of fifteen members and have been offering at this place for the past ten years."

Surya said that they derive a lot of spiritual energy in offering Pongala. The transgender community is also happy as this is the first Pongala after the SC verdict.

Surya said that the SC order does not make any difference in their offering Pongala but the verdict has given the community a boost in self-respect. 

Surya said that her mother and sisters are accompanying her for offering Pongala.

According to tradition, women who take part in the festival have to be dressed in clothes that are brand new and so should every item used for cooking the 'divine' Pongala.

As per the mythological story, Kannaki destroyed Madurai in Tamil Nadu after the king of Madurai wrongfully imposed a death penalty on her husband.

After that, Kannaki travelled to Kerala, where she rested for a while at Attukal and women are said to have cooked Pongala to please her.