Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Trivandrum

The Goddess - KANNAGI ( PARVATHI DEVI ) is the main dity of the temple.
The Attukal Bhavathi temple is internationally famous and has got its name enriched in the Guinness book of World Records. Legendary is that Karnaki was married to Kovalan, son of a wealthy businessman. But he met a dancer and he was mad after her. Ultimately, he spent all his wealth for her forgetting his wife, Kannagi. On becoming pennyless, he return to Kannagi who had only two anklets left in her. They went to Madurai King to sell off the Anklets. Unfortunately, at that time, on of the anklet ofe their Queen was stolen which looked like the one of Kannagi. Kovalan was branded as thief of the anklet and he was behaded by the Soldiers. Kannagi was in full fury on hearing about his had being chopped off. He went to the King with the second pair of the Anklet. She broke the anklet which contained which contained rubies whereas the Queen's anklet contained Pearls. She cursed the City of Madurai and due to her chastity, it came true. She attained salvation after the Goddess of the City appeared before her. On her way to Kodungallur, she passed through Attukal in the form of a small girl. She approached an old man sitting near the stream and asked him if h could help her crossing the stream. Sing the pretty little girl, the man took her to his house. But she vanished. In sleep, the old man saw her. She told him to build a temple where he will find 3 golden lines in his grove. Th temple was built and the location is Attukal which was later famous as Attukal Bhagavathi temple. Attukal Pongala is the major festival where millions of women get together every year in the month of Kumbam (Jan-Feb) and they put Pongala (rice cooking with jaggery, Ghee and other ingredients in mud pots outside the temple. The entire area is spread with the devotees who come all over the State and even from outside the Country. This Pongala is to please the Deity, Kannagi.

Attukal Pongala festival