Attukal Pongala

ne of the most important festivals celebrated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Pongala or ponkala is a special temple practice of offering boiled rice in earthen pot to the goddess. The significance of Attukal Devi Temple Pongala is the largest gathering of women in the world irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Attukal Pongala festival held in 1997 entered the Guinness Book of World Records for being the "largest annual gathering of women" in the world as around 1.5 million assembled in the temple premises, open fields, commercial institutions, roads, and Government offices premises to offer pongala to Attukal Bhagavathy or Attukal Amma (Attukalamma). Attukal Pongala is a 10 days festival program which falls on February – March every year (Malayalam month of Makaram – Kumbham). The festival begins on the Karthika star with the traditional Kappukettu and Kudiyiruthu ceremony. The ninth day of the festival is the major attraction – the Pongala Mahotsavam day. And the festival will conclude with the Kuruthitharpanam at night.