Lakhs offer pongala to Attukal Devi

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Lakh of women offered pongala to Attukal Devi known as Women’s Sabarimala, turning the capital city into a yagashala.

Countless women, filled with fervent devotion, congregated in the city to offer pongala to Attukal Devi. Rows and rows of earthen pots dotted the temple premises, streets, bylanes, railway station, bus station and shop fronts on the day of Pongala.

The ritual for the pongala started at 10 am when the chief priest of Attukal Devi temple lit the main hearth (pandara aduppu) from the fire brought from the sreekovil. The fire was then passed on from hearth to hearth.

The devotees then prepared the pongala offering of boiled rice and jaggery, chanting devi mantras and waiting for the mixture to spill over the pot. At 1.30 pm, holy water was sprinkled on all the pongala pots. Around 250 priests were deployed across the city to sprinkle the holy water.

All the main roads were congested with devotees

No comments: