THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With pongala shy of just two days, the Attukal Devi Temple and its premises are cloaked in festivities. A pious aura has enveloped the place, with devotees from far and wide streaming in hordes to join in the festival jamboree. Traders have arrived from across the state and from as far as Tamil Nadu to spark off the revelry. The devout have even arrived much ahead of the festival day to book their places and offer the pongala near the temple. The areas near the temple are already dotted by hearths, with many pilgrims even staying the night at the temple premises.
This year’s pongala ritual will be held on Friday. The ten-day festivities had begun on February 23. The festival will formally come to a close on March 3.“Pongala is like Onam for us,” says 64-year-old Nalini who has arrived from Pravachambalam. Though she stays in the city, Nalini arrived six days ago, setting up five hearths near the temple grounds. For the past fifteen years, this has been a tradition for her, the ten days of spiritual sojourn. “Ever since I turned 22, I have been coming here. But it is only since the past few years that I started spending ten whole days here, offering myself to the deity. I will return only after the end of the festivities,” she says.
The area is gripped in festive fervour and traders have arrived from across the state and from outside, to cash in on the frenzy. Several stalls have been set up near the temple selling pooja articles, myriad household and traditional wares.“I arrived today morning and the sales are picking up. I have been coming here for the past four years. My wife is stationed elsewhere and we will be here until the end of the festival,” says Malaichamy who arrived all the way from Madurai to sell his wares.
For 47-year-old Karakulam native Susheela, the temple and the festivities is more of an emotion. She recalls how her mother offered the Pongala in 1,001 pots. That was when she was just nine-years-old. Now she sells pooja articles for a living. “I used to offer Pongala for the past several years, but now I don’t get time. This is my Pongala,” she says nodding at the pooja articles being readied for the festival.
