Attukal Pongala: 1000’s of devotees supply Pongala in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram

1000’s of ladies congregated inside a nine-km radius of the famed Attukal Devi Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, to supply Pongala on Tuesday (March 3, 2026).

Church buildings, mosques and residents opened their doorways to devotees, who arrange open brick hearths to cook dinner the sacrament, an providing of rice and jaggery.

The scenes in entrance of the Palayam Juma Masjid, St Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral and the Mancaud Valiya Palli, amongst different non secular locations of worship within the metropolis, appeared redolent of Kerala’s secular and progressive ethos at a time when non secular amity was coming below assault, together with by means of cinema.

The Palayam Imam, VP Suhaib Maulavi, advised reporters that the mosque supplied ingesting water and light-weight refreshments to the devotees. He stated the members of the Muslim neighborhood centered across the Juma Masjid opened their properties and companies to devotees.

The St. Joseph Metropolitan Cathedral in Palayam supplied bivouacking services for devotees.

The rendering of Thottan Pattu, a conventional music celebrating the victory of the legendary Kannaki, an incarnation of the presiding deity, over the Pandyan king, on the temple, signaled the beginning of the Pongala pageant at 9.15 am.

At 9.45 am, temple Tanthri Thekkadath Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathiripad will gentle the fireplace contained in the temple. On the pre-ordained time, 1000’s of devotees tenting within the pageant space unfold throughout 22 municipality wards will gentle their hearths.

At round 2.15 am, lots of of monks bearing “holy water” will radiate out of the temple to consecrate the Pongala providing ready by devotees, signaling the top of the ritual.