THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Attukal Pongala, arguably the largest festival of women in the world, began in the Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. This year, the festival is witnessing huge participation of devotees.
During the past two years, devotees participated in the ritual by offering pongala at their homes due to the covid situation.
On Tuesday, the rituals began at the Attukal Devi temple when the temple tantri Thekkedath Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathirippad handed over a lighted lamp to the melsanthi P Kesavan Namboodiri at the sanctum sanctorum. The melsanthi then lit the hearth at the thidapalli, the temple kitchen, and handed over the lamp to his co-priest. The latter lit the pandara aduppu, a special hearth set up in front of the temple marking the start of the ritual.
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Devotees celebrated the lighting of the pandara aduppu by loud chants and bursting crackers. Following the lighting of the pandara aduppu, thousands of devotees lined up on the temple premises and the numerous city streets lit their hearths to cook pongala, the sweet porridge considered to be the favourite of the goddess of the Attukal Devi temple.
Several dignitaries were present on the temple premises during the lighting of the pandara aduppu. They included Mayor Arya Rajendran, Education Minister V Sivankutty and Shashi Tharoor MP.
Various government departments, including the police and district administration, are taking steps for the smooth conduct of the festival. The Health Department has arranged treatment facilities on the temple premises. Devotees have been asked to drink water frequently to avoid dehydration due to the high temperature.