Thiruvananthapuram Stands Ready For Attukal Pongala
A sacred congregation with profound devotion by lakhs of women at the temple precincts of Attukal and the broader expanse of the capital is awaited
Published : March 2, 2026 at 5:27 PM IST
|Updated : March 2, 2026 at 8:26 PM IST
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, stands transformed for the Attukal Pongala. A sacred congregation is awaited with profound devotion by lakhs of women at the temple precincts of Attukal, and the broader expanse of the capital is awaited. The usual cityscapes are eclipsed by the sight of devoted women, makeshift brick hearths and earthen pots lining every street and corner.
The grand ritual will officially commence at 9:45 AM on Tuesday with the temple's head priest lighting 'Pandara Aduppu', the main hearth in front of the sanctum sanctorum. From this source, the holy flame will swiftly cascade to millions of individual hearths, turning a 10 km radius of the city into a sprawling and vibrant sacrificial ground for several hours.
By 2:15 PM, the devotees will begin their journey back home carrying spiritual fulfilment of the ritual following the formal sanctification of the offering.
Treasurer of Attukal Temple Trust (ATT), A. Geethakumari, said, "All the preparations are complete for the event and an unprecedented 35 lakh to 40 lakh women are expected to participate in this year's offering."
The spiritual roots of Attukal Pongala are deeply intertwined with the legend of Goddess Kannagi, the central figure of the renowned Tamil epic, Silappatikaram.
Devotees revere Kannagi as the supreme incarnation of Goddess Parvati, while her husband Kovalan is believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva. The epic, whose title translates to 'The Tale of an Anklet' narrates how Kovalan became infatuated with a dancer named Madhavi, subsequently abandoning his wife and losing his wealth. Left destitute, a remorseful Kovalan eventually returned to Kannagi.
To help her husband rebuild their life, Kannagi, a paragon of chastity, handed him her precious anklet to sell. Kovalan travelled to Madurai, where he entrusted the anklet to a deceitful goldsmith. The goldsmith maliciously presented it to the Pandya King, falsely claiming it was the queen’s stolen jewellery.
Believing the lie, the King ordered Kovalan's execution. Hearing of her husband's unjust death, a devastated and furious Kannagi traveled to Madurai. Legend holds that the sheer power of her purity and righteous anger reduced the King, the treacherous goldsmith and the entire city of Madurai to ashes.
Still seething with divine wrath, the Goddess journeyed onward, passing through Attukal before eventually reaching Kodungallur to ascend to heaven alongside Kovalan.
It is believed that the women of Attukal sought to pacify her fiery anger by warmly receiving her and offering the 'Pongala.' Her wrath finally quelled, the Goddess chose to reside in Attukal. The annual festival serves as a grand commemoration of this divine appeasement.
The festival aligns with the day the Pooram star and the full moon coincide in the Malayalam month of Kumbham. The ceremonial lighting is a meticulous and deeply evocative process.
As the traditional 'Thottam Pattu' song reaches the verse describing the Pandya King's demise, the temple priest lights a lamp from the sanctum and hands it to the head priest. The flame is passed to the temple's smaller kitchen and then to the larger kitchen's hearths. Finally, the co-priest carries it to the main 'Pandara Aduppu' in front of the festival canopy. The exact moment the main hearth is lit is announced by temple bells, the resounding beat of traditional drums and the booming sound of ritualistic fireworks that signal the flame to spread rapidly across the city.
Women observe strict penance to offer the Pongala while praying for the fulfilment of their deepest desires by the grace of the all-benevolent Attukal Mother. The offering is meticulously prepared in a brand new earthen pot using rice, jaggery, ghee and coconut. This ritual holds profound elemental symbolism where the earthen pot and the rice merge with the natural forces of air, space, water and fire to represent the powerful convergence of the 'Panchabhootas' (the five elements), elevating the dish into a supreme spiritual offering.
The north facing presiding deity of the temple is depicted holding a sword, a shield and a skull. A north-facing Goddess is traditionally believed to possess boundless benevolent power. The temple complex also houses sub-deities including Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Madan Thampuran.
The ten-day festival starts with the 'Kappukettu' ceremony, where the spiritual presence of the Kodungallur Goddess is invoked and seated at Attukal to be ceremoniously returned at the festival's conclusion.
The globally renowned Pongala takes place on the ninth day of this festival that is a massive celebration of women's devotion and the power of their purity. Such an immense, synchronised gathering of women on a single day for a religious purpose is a rarity. It is an achievement that cemented the festival's place in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 and 2009.
Fondly referred to as the 'Sabarimala of Women', the temple is located just two kilometres southeast of the historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple on the banks of the sacred Killi River.
Local lore suggests the name 'Attukal' originated from the belief that this is the spot where the Goddess' feet touched the river ('Aaru' meaning river, 'Kaal' meaning foot) or alternatively, it refers to the lush paddy fields along the riverbanks.
Another integral element of the festival is the 'Kuthiyottam' ritual performed by young boys under 12 years of age. These boys undergo rigorous penance, a practice believed to commemorate the devas (Gods) who fasted and prayed for the Goddess as she prepared to slay the demon Mahishasura. It is also seen as a symbolic representation of the Goddess' wounded soldiers accompanying her on a victorious procession around the city after defeating the demon Darika.
Government Guidelines
As Pongala hearths line the city streets, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation has directed strict adherence to the Green Protocol.
Instructions for devotees and food distributors:
- Do not use green (unseasoned) bricks for hearths
- Bring Pongala materials in cloth bags or reusable containers. Avoid plastic covers, single-use paper cups and plates, and low-quality plastic bottles
- Prefer cotton clothing
- Do not set up hearths in ways that obstruct public roads or on tiled pavements
- Organisations distributing food and drinking water must avoid plastic in accordance with the Green Protocol and government orders
- Use steel utensils wherever possible
- Devotees visiting the temple should avoid wearing gold ornaments and carrying valuables for safety reasons
- After the offering, non-biodegradable waste such as used ghee bottles must be taken back home or handed over to the Haritha Karma Sena
- Those distributing fruits like watermelon and oranges must install sufficient bins to collect and properly dispose of waste
- Completely avoid plastic materials in decorations related to Pongala
- Organisations and residents’ associations providing food and water to devotees must obtain permission from the local police station and clearance from the Food Safety Department.
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