Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple - 2024 Dates
Attukal Pongala
Mahotsavam is a 10 days festival, which falls from February - March every year
(The month of Makaram – Kumbham on the Malayalam calendar). The festival begins on
the Karthika star with the traditional Kappukettu and Kudiyiruthu ceremony, the idol of Devi, embellished with Kappu (Bangles). The 9th day of the festival is a major
attraction, The Attukal Pongala, and Procession of the Goddess. The festival
will conclude with the Kuruthitharpanam on the 10th day night.
The world-famous Attukal Pongala is on February 25, 2024.
Attukal Pongala is not only
celebrated in Thiruvananthapuram, but the whole world is also awaiting the holy
ceremony. Every woman will pray to the Devi to bless them to be a part of
it. The festival entered the Guinness Book of World Records and is the largest
annual gathering of women in the world in a single place on a single day
irrespective of caste, creed, or religion.
Pongala (literally to boil
over) is a ritualistic offering of a sweet dish consisting of rice porridge,
sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts, and raisins. Devotees offer
pongala to appease the presiding deity of the temple - the Goddess - popularly
known as Attukal Amma.
Only women are allowed to participate
in the Pongala ritual. Right from the night before the Pongala day,
thousands of women, regardless of religious faith, assemble at the temple
premises and on either side of the roads leading to the shrine, to make
the Pongala offering. Devotees from across the country and even from
abroad participate in the ritual.
Highlights of this
Festival :
February 17 - Kappu Kettu & Kudiyiruthu
February 19 - Beginning of the
Vratham of boys, Kuthiyottam Ceremony
February 25 - Lighting of the
Pongala Hearths.
- Sanctification of Pongala.
– Chooralkuthu Ceremony
- Procession of Goddess Attukal Amma
February 26 - Kappu Azhippu
& Kudiyilakkal
Kuruthi Tharppanam
Comments
Post a Comment