THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thousands of women will offer Attukal ‘Pongala’ - the largest gathering of women - in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. On Saturday, the entire city was taken over by devotees and all the roads and byroads leading to the Attukal Bhagavati Temple have been lined up with makeshift hearths ready to be lit for offering ‘pongala’.
Festive jubilations reigned in every nook and corner of the city and the Attukal Temple witnessed a heavy rush on Saturday as devotees thronged the temple on the eve of the pongala ritual. The ‘pongala’ ritual will kick off at 10.30 am after the ‘Pandara Aduppu’ at the temple premises will be lit.
The pongala will be offered at 2.30 pm after sprinkling the holy water over the offerings. Various departments have made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth conduct.
The police department has imposed traffic restrictions in the capital till 8 pm Sunday and KSRTC is operating special services to ensure hassle-free transport for devotees. Arrangements are in place to clean up the city.
The city corporation on Saturday distributed e-bikes for the health workers. The e-bikes that has been bought one each for health circles, are being used for the first time. According to officials, the health authorities will be able to commute more smoothly during pongala.
As many as 3,000 sanitation workers and 750 volunteers have been mobilised to ensure sanitation. The plan is to clean up the city before midnight.