Context:
∙ Recently, an annual event offering Pongala at Attukal was witnessed in Kerala.
About Attukal Pongala:
∙ It is a renowned religious event held annually at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and falls on the ninth day of the annual ten-day festival.
ο It is dubbed as the ‘Women’s Sabarimala’, symbolising the strength and power of women.
∙ It involves women preparing a sweet pudding of rice, jaggery, grated coconut, ghee, and banana in earthen pots.
∙ This offering, known as ‘Pongala’, is prepared on makeshift brick stoves and is offered to the presiding deity, the Attukal Bhagavathy.
∙ It is dedicated to Kannaki, the heroine of the Chilappatikaram.
∙ The ritual can only be performed by women, and the streets of the city are known to be jam-packed with faithful devotees during the time of the festival.
Global Recognition
∙ Over time, the Pongala has gained international recognition with the Malayali diaspora taking it to the US and the UK.∙ Known for its record assemblage of women devotees, the festival has made its entry into ‘The Guinness Book of World Records’ for being the largest religious gathering of women on a single day.
