: Tens of thousands of women from across the State and outside offered ‘Pongala’ to the presiding deity of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple here on Thursday.
The rituals for the festival, which is said to be one of the largest religious congregations of women in the world, began at 10.15 a.m. after Tantri Chenas Dinesh Namboothiri handed over the holy flame from the sanctum sanctorum to Melsanthi Kannan Potti, who, in turn, lit the Pongala hearth. The flame was then transferred to hundreds of small hearths kept inside the temple.
Rituals
Simultaneously, devotees who had lined up all major roads lit their pots. Braving the scorching sun, they waited for five hours before the holy water and flowers were sprinkled on the offering as a mark of acceptance of the pongala, a sweet dish made of rice and jaggery.
Flowers were showered on the devotees from an aircraft hired by the temple trust.
Several devotees had arrived in the city days in advance. They camped on the roadside and booked available space on the pavements to set up small hearths.
Government offices and the city Corporation, though it was a regional holiday, threw open their gates for women to set up hearths.
Hearths
The festival saw religious barriers being broken with mosques and churches as well permitting the women to use their premises to set up hearths.
Arrangements
Elaborate arrangements were made in the city for the smooth conduct of the festival. Five-thousand police personnel were deployed to regulate the crowds and ensure law and order.
Even as the devotees began leaving the city, the Corporation swung into action to clear the roads of bricks and other remains left behind by the people.
Cultural programmes followed the prayers at the Attukal temple in the evening. The festival will conclude on Friday with the ritualistic sacrifice called ‘kuruthi.’
Several prominent personalities, including Governor P. Sathisvam’s wife, Saraswathi, the former Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony’s wife, Elizabeth Antony, Additional District Sessions Judge, Thiruvananthapuram, K P. Indira and cine actors, offered pongala.
