Lakhs of women set for Attukal pongala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Braving the scorching sun, lakhs of women gathered in the city for Attukal pongala, the largest congregation of women, here on Wednesday.
The festival will begin at 10.15am when chief priest Brahmashree Thekkedathu Kuzhikkattu Paraswaran Vasudevan Bhattatiripad hands over fire from the sanctum sanctorum to priest Bhamashree Vishnu Nampoothiri N to light the pandara aduppu or the main hearth in the premises of Attukal Bhagavathy temple. When the lighting of pandara aduppu is announced, lakhs of pongala hearths will light up to prepare porridge as an offering for Attukal Bhagavathy. Sanctification of pongala hearth will be held at 2.15 pm.

Chooralkuthu, which is part of the Kuthiyottam ritual will be held after pongala. As many as 818 boys are attending the Kuthiyottam ritual this year.

The Attukal temple trust is planning to break its own records of Attukal pongala as the largest congregation of women, which it achieved first in 1997 with a record of 15 lakh women and 2009 with 25 lakh women.

District administration and city corporation taken steps to implement green protocol at the pongala festival. The devotees and organization provide food for them have been asked to adhere to green protocol to reduce non-bio degradable waste. Railways and KSRTC have arranged special service for the pongala. Police too has made elaborate arrangements by fielding 3700 personnel for security of devotees.