Kerala Gears Up for Attukal Pongala, CM Assures Smooth, Clean Festivities

As women devotees flock to Kerala’s capital for the Attukal Pongala on March 13, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday promised meticulous arrangements for a smooth, waste-free celebration. The iconic festival, honoring the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple’s deity, is poised to fill Thiruvananthapuram’s streets with devotion.

In a Facebook post, Vijayan called for adherence to traffic rules to ease travel on Pongala day. “The district administration has made elaborate arrangements so devotees can offer their Pongala without hurdles,” he said. Praising past clean festivities, he urged cooperation to keep the city orderly, adding, “Let’s make this year’s Pongala unforgettable.”

Women began arriving Tuesday, securing spots to set up brick hearths along roads. On these, they’ll cook pongala—a sacred mix of rice, jaggery, and coconut—or other sweets in new pots as offerings. Dubbed the “Women’s Sabarimala,” this all-female ritual caps a 10-day festival at Attukal Temple.

The event started with the Kappukettu ceremony, where authorized families musically narrate Kannaki Charitam—the tale of Goddess Kodungallur Bhagavathy defeating the Pandyan King. After nine days, temple drums and chants herald the hearth-lighting on March 13, symbolizing good triumphing over evil.

With thousands expected, the administration is managing traffic and sanitation to preserve the festival’s sanctity. Attukal Pongala remains a powerful display of faith, turning the capital into a vibrant hub of hearths and prayers.