In
one of the world's largest all-women religious gatherings, thousands of
devotees performed the 'pongala' ritual
of the famed Attukal
Bhagavathy temple in the Kerala capital on Sunday.
Women, cutting across
class and caste barriers, prepared 'pongala'- a mix of rice, jaggery and
grated cocount - in fresh earthen pots in an area of about 8 km radius
around the temple, seeking the blessings of the Goddess for plenty and
prosperity for their families. The
festival began on a devotionally charged note at 10.30 AM with the chief priest
lighting the traditional hearth in the temple premises. The sacred flame'
quickly passed to the hearths of devotees in the entire length and bredth of
the city.
Women
also prepared 'theraliyappam' and 'mandaputtu' as offering to the
Goddess. The festival, which made its way into the Guinness Book of World
Records in 2009, also turned out to be a celebration of secular and social
values with the people of the whole city and suburbs lending help for the
smooth conduct of the festival. Devotees
from different regions and abroad had started camping on roadsides and open
spaces since Saturday afternoon. Nearly 5,000 police personnel were deployed
for managing the tide of pilgrims converging in the city. The myth behind 'pongala'
is linked to the Tamil classic 'Silappathikaram' of poet Elangovadikal, which
narrates the story of Kannaki, an incarnation of Goddess Parvathy.
The
temple lore has it that Kannaki had brief sojourn at the palm-shaded hamlet
Attukal on the banks of the Killiyar while on her way to Kodungallur in central
Kerala. She showered her blessing on the village after the people there offered
hospitality and the divine event is celebrated annually. Apart from the police,
various government departments stepped in with their services to the conduct of
the festival. In every junction, vouluntary agencies arranged for free meal,
snacks and water for the devotees. Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, who
represents the city in the Lok Sabha, state temple affairs Minister V S
Sivakumar, city Mayor Chandrika and leaders of all other parties were present
in the temple.