The buzz in the city in the run-up to Attukal Pongala peaked on Tuesday as women from far and near started arriving for what is billed as the largest congregation of women in the world. The Pongala brings the curtain down on the 10-day annual festival of the Attukal Bhagavathy temple.
The women, at times children in tow, started ‘booking’ the places where they would prepare their offering to the presiding deity of the temple on Wednesday. While some had all that they needed to cook an elaborate treat for the goddess, others went around, purchasing pots and pans, kindling, and ingredients too. Some shopping too was on the cards, the roads lined with vendors of apparel, toys, trinkets, and kitchen products proving too difficult to resist.
Pots and pans and bricks for the makeshift stoves had made their appearance weeks ago, but sales picked up pace a couple of days ago. Across the city, localities have geared up for the festival, with bright lights all around and loud music ringing out from speakers. Roads too were full of traffic.
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Police personnel have been deployed around the city to watch out for untoward incidents and ensure that the women’s hours-long wait for dawn passed off uneventfully.
Minister for Health K.K. Shylaja visited the medical camps organised by the Health and Ayush Departments and Arogya Keralam in connection with the Pongala as also the food safety control room.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Health and Food Safety Departments to ensure the well-being of thousands of women, including children and the elderly, who will offer Pongala.
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Lab facilities
Thirteen medical camps and 12 health centres have started functioning at Attukal and surrounding areas. Two doctors, two nurses, and two paramedical staff have been posted in each camp. Lab facilities have been arranged. Twenty ambulances will be at hand and a 24-hour control room too has opened.
The Food Safety Department’s control room has opened at Attukal.
Registration of all who plan to conduct ‘annadanam’ has been completed. So far, 675 groups have registered.
Food safety squads too are leaving nothing to chance. Besides checks on ingredients for preparing the Pongala offerings, inspections in hotels and restaurants are on.
The public can call 1800 425 1125 to register their complaints.