Attukal Pongala
The Attukal Pongala held in Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram is the largest congregation of women for a festival in the world. Pongala, which means 'to boil over’, is the ritual in which women prepare sweet payasam (a pudding made from rice, jaggery, coconut and plantains cooked together) and offer it to the Goddess or ‘Bhagavathy’. The ritual can only be performed by women and the streets of th....
The Attukal Pongala held in Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram is the largest congregation of women for a festival in the world. Pongala, which means 'to boil over’, is the ritual in which women prepare sweet payasam (a pudding made from rice, jaggery, coconut and plantains cooked together) and offer it to the Goddess or ‘Bhagavathy’. The ritual can only be performed by women and the streets of the city are known to be jam-packed with faithful devotees during the time of the festival. The Goddess-fondly referred to as ‘Attukalamma’ is said to be appeased by this ritual. The entire Thiruvananthapuram city lights up in festive fervour and the number of devotees has increased to the point that it has been recorded in the Guinness World Book of Records. It is an experience that is extremely unique and must be soaked in first-hand to understand its magnificence.
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Activities
The temple is renowned for its Pongala festival in which the rituals are performed exclusively by women to appease the Goddess. The festival has made its entry into The Guinness Book of World Records for the largest congregation of women at any single place.
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Organized By
Pradeep Chandran
Tourist Information Officer
Department of Tourism
9447116098
pradeep[at]keralatourism[dot]org
How to reach
The nearest airport is Trivandrum International Airport,
which is 5 KMs away.
The nearest convenient railway station is Trivandrum Central,
which is 3 KMs away.
The nearest major city is East Fort,
which is 2KMs away.
