Attukal Bhagavathy Temple,Thiruvanathapuram

Attukal Bhagavathy Temple,Thiruvanathapuram:
The temple is located at Attukal about 1Km
from Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.
The Goddess Kannaki (Parvathi) is the main deity in this temple.

The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongala festival.
Attukal Pongala is the main festival of this temple.
Millions of women gather every year in the month
of Kumbham (18th to 26th February) around this temple and prepare Pongala.

'Pongala' means to boil over. It refers to
the customary offering of things which please the deity.
Pongala is a porridge made out of rice cooked
with jaggery, ghee, coconut as well as other ingredients
in the open in small pots to please the Goddess Kannaki.

During the festival nearly five kilometres around
the temple become covered with smoke from the Pongala Aduppu (s).

A holiday is declared in the city on that day.
Tourists from other countries also participate in the festival.
This is also a big shopping season also at Thiruvananthapuram.

The festival has gained international attention.
It was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records
as the "largest annual gathering of women" in the world.
The record was based on the number of pilgrims on 23 February 1997.
That time 1.5 million women assembled to offer Pongala to Attukal Devi.

It is estimated that 3 million women attended
the 2010 edition of the festival.
Actor Mohan lal got married in this temple.
Women Celebrities are also attending the Pongala

One of the special features of the Attukal Pongala
is that only women anre allowed in the proximity of the temple..

Local Social Workers and Police are doing a great
job to make the festival a grand success.

Click here to see Video Attukal Pongala - Thiruvananthapuram