THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Unmindful of the COVID-19 scare, lakhs of women congregated in the city for ‘Attukal Pongala’ – the ritualistic offering made annually to Attukal Bhagavathy, the presiding deity of the famed temple in her name.
The Attukal Pongala had entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest gathering of women in the world. Thousands of brick hearths were set up around the temple and also on either sides of main roads, on a 10 km radius of the temple, as part of the ritual.
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Despite an outbreak of COVID-19 in the state, the government had said the annual ritual would go ahead. However, authorities advised devotees with cold and flu symptoms to avoid the ritual this time. Health department officials are closely monitoring the ritual along with thousands of personnel from various government agencies including police and fire and rescue department.
Over 3,500 personnel from the city corporation have also been deployed for smooth conduct of the ritual, which will be under close surveillance using CCTVs and drones. Due to the huge rush of devotees, many of them had ensured their places at vantage points, especially close to the temple, even two days ago.
Unmindful of the blazing sun, the devotees sat on either sides of main roads to prepare the offering to the Goddess. The pongala offering is a sweet pudding made from rice, jaggery, coconut gratings, banana and ghee.
Preparations for the ritual began at 9.45 am at the temple with 'aduppkettu' (arranging the hearth). At around 10.30 am, the chief priest Easwaran Namboothiri lit up the ‘pandara aduppu' (main hearth) at the temple premises. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and MLAs M Vincent, VS Sivakumar, O Rajagopal and VK Prasanth were present.
The fire was then passed on to all the hearths that have been arranged for the ritual. After preparation of the offering, holy water will be sprinkled on the hearths at 2:10 pm signaling the end of the ritual. The Kerala State Road Transport Department is conducting special services for the safe return of the devotees.