Attukal Pongala

Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is located at Attukal, 2 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram city. This temple is considered as the Sabarimala of women. Goddess Kannakki or Parvathi is the Main Deity in this temple. This temple belongs to the prehistoric era. The temple is considered as one of the most famous ancient temples in the whole of south India. The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of temple. Pongala festival has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest attendance of women.

The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice existing in the south Kerala and Tamilnadu. Among the pongala festivals the one in Attukal is the most famous. In Attukal temple, the Pongala Mahotsavam is a ten-day programme which starts on the Karthika star of the Malayalam month of Kumbham which is February-March time and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam at night on the star of "pooram" on the tenth day. The Pongala offering is on the ninth day when the star "pooram" and full moon coincides. The entire area of about 7 km radius around the temple with premises of houses of people of all castes, creed and religion, open fields, roads, commercial institutions, premises of Government offices etc. emerges as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala rituals for lakhs of women devotees assembling from different parts of Kerala and outside. Both men and women can offer pongala to devi. However ladies dominate in the festival.