City of Goddess: Lakhs of Women Offer Pongala as Thiruvananthapuram Turns Into a Sea of Devotees.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The streets of the capital city turned into a massive prayer ground this morning as the historic Attukal Pongala festival began. The lighting of the hearth at 9.45 am marked the commencement of the ritual, with the city witnessing an unprecedented rush of women devotees from all walks of life.

From the temple surroundings to the distant footpaths of the city, thousands of hearths have been lit to offer the traditional ‘payasam’ to the Goddess. With the ‘Nivedyam’ scheduled for 2.15 pm, the district administration and police are on high alert to manage the crowd and heat-related emergencies. Fire and rescue teams, along with medical units, have been deployed at every major junction to ensure a smooth conduct of the world’s largest gathering of women.

Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar described the Attukal Pongala festival as a defining symbol of the state’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Speaking during the celebrations, he expressed immense pride in the event, which sees thousands of women gather to offer prayers to Attukal Bhagavathy.

While sharing his happiness at participating for the third time, the BJP leader revealed that his wife and children could not attend this year’s festival as they are currently stuck in the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict. (TOI & ANI)

For more details: Navamalayalam.com