Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, one of the ancient temples of South India,
is popularly described as Sabarimala of the Women, as women form the
major portion of devotees. The Goddess in the temple of Attukal is
worshipped as the Supreme Mother, creator of all living beings and
the mighty preserver as well as destroyer of them all. The pilgrims
from all over the country, who visit Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple
and worship the Lord, do not consider their visits complete without
the visit to the shrine of the supreme Mother Attukalamma. Vishnumaya
took the incarnation of Bhagavathy to annihilate the evil and protect
the good in the world in the present Era namely Kaliyuga.
Location: Attukal Bhagavathy Temple - Thiruvananthapuram city, south
Kerala.
The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal
Bhagavathy Temple. Pongala the annual festival celebrated at this
shrine on February 20, 2000. The word Pongala means to boil over and
refers to the ritual offering that is most pleasing to the deity -
a porridge of rice, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and
raisins.
Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of Kannaki,
the famous heroine of Shilappadikaram, an epic written by Ilango Adigal,
an eminent Tamil poet.
Only women are allowed to participate in this ritual. Right from
the previous night thousands of women, regardless of caste, creed
and colour, assembled in the temple premises and on either sides of
the roads leading to the shrine to perform Pongala.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thiruvananthapuram central about 2 km from
the shrine.
Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about
7 km from the shrine
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