Attukal Pongala 2018 festival begins on February 22nd, Thursday and concludes on March 03rd, Saturday. The world famous Attukal Pongala is on March 02nd, Friday.
Attukal Pongala 2018 Schedule
- Attukal pongala 2018 time of lighting Pongala hearth (aduppu kathikkal / അടുപ്പു കത്തിക്കൽ) will be at 10.15 am on Friday, 2nd March 2018 (2/3/18). Blessing of Pongala Nivedyam known as Sanctification (നിവേദ്യം) will be at time 2.30 pm on 2 March 2018 (2/3/2018).
- Thursday, 22 February 2018 (22-2-2018) 5.45 pm – Kappukettu, Kudiyiruthu (കാപ്പുകെട്ട് കുടിയിരുത്ത്)
- Saturday, 24 February 2018 (24-2-2018) 8.45 am – Kuthiyotta Vritham starting day (കുത്തിയോട്ട വൃതo ആരംഭം )
- Friday, 2 March 2018 (2-3-2018) 10.15 am – Pongala (പൊങ്കാല) ; 7.45 pm Kuthiyottam chooralkuthu (കുത്തിയോട്ടം ചൂരൽകുത്ത്) ; 11.15 pm Procession of Attukal Devi (Attukalamma) starts.
The Attukal Bhagavathy (Attukal Devi) Temple, one of the ancient temples of South India, is popularly described as Sabarimala of the Women, as women form the major portion of devotees. The Goddess in the temple of Attukal is worshipped as the Supreme Mother (Attukal Amma), creator of all living beings and the mighty preserver as well as destroyer of them all.
Pongala (literally means 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.
Attukal temple in Thiruvananthapuram is known as ‘Sabarimala of Women’ and every year lakhs of women worshipers come to offer pongala to Attukal devi. The festival is in Guinness book for highest number of women devotees gathering at a place to offer pongala.
