Pongala on March 9, green protocol to be in force

Thiruvananthapuram: Attukal Bhagavathy Temple will witness congregation of lakhs of women to offer pongala on March 9. Attukal Pongala is held on the ninth day of festival which will begin on March 1.
The pongala, which has entered the Guinness World of Records as largest gathering of women in 1997 and 2009, will begin at 10.20am with the lighting of pongala hearths and ends by around 2.10pm with the sanctification. The festival will conclude with the ceremonial removal of ‘Kappu’ (kappu azhippu) and the ‘kuruthi tharppanam’ on March 10.
Film actor Anu Sithara will inaugurate stage programmes at 6.30pm on March 1. Lyricist, poet and film director Sreekumaran Thampi will be awarded Attukal Amba Puraskaram 2020.
Around 800 children, aged between 6 and 12, have registered for the ‘Kuthiyottam’ ritual. Temple authorities said that registration for Kuthiyottam will conclude on February 20.
In a news conference on Tuesday, the temple trust authorities said that there are taking all steps to ensure strict implementation of green protocol. “Use of plastic covers and disposable paper/plastic cups are strictly banned. Considering the exam time, we have also directed all to ensure that the loudspeakers don’t pose any diffuculties,” they said.
The temple administration has directed devotees to use non-fired bricks for pongala and ensure that they won’t obstruct traffic. The temple trust has constituted a 115-member committee for the smooth functioning of the festival. Review meetings were conducted by devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran, mayor K Sreekumar, MLAs and district collector. The event will be live streamed through trust’s official website www.attukal.org.