Main God:
Attukal Bhagavadhi Amman
Location:
P.B. No. 5805,
Manacaud P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram – 695 009,
Kerala,
South India.
Festivals:
PONGALA MAHOTSAVAM:
‘Pongala’ is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. The offering of Pongala is a very special temple practice in the southern part of Kerala. The ten-day- long celebration commences in the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (Feb – March)on the Karthika star. Pongala ceremony is on the auspicious day of Pooram star which coincides with full moon. The festival commences with the musical rendering of the story of the Goddess (Kannaki Charitam) during the “Kappukettu ceremony”. The musical renderinngs are conducted by the families authorised for this purpose. The story invokes the presence of Kodungallur Bhagavathy and the slaying of the Pandyan King. The song will continue for all the nine days preceding Pongala. The event of the Goddess annihilating the Pandyan King is accompanied by much sound and fury of the temple drums and “Vaykurava” by devotees, immediately followed by the lighting of the hearths for the preparation of the offering for the Goddess. This festival commemorates the victory of Good over Evil, by the slaying of Pandyan King. Throughout the festival an atmosphere of celebration and festivity prevails and there are the solemn observances such as regular conduct of Bhajans, musical concerts, ballets depicting folk and temple arts etc. in the temple premises. This is symbolic of the philosophy that human and divine affairs are inter-woven so minutely in all its disquisitions. Processions of colourful floats of the deity from all around, carried with pomp and devotion by the devotees congregating in the temple premises provides a pleasing experience.
A Rare Charm of the Festival:
On the 9th day of the festival, it would appear as though all roads in and around Thiruvananthapuram city lead to the Attukal Temple. The entire area of about 7 Kilometres radius around the temple, with houses of people of all caste, creed and religion open fields, roads and commercial institutions emerge as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala ritual for the lakhs women devotees assembling from different parts of Kerala and outside. This ceremony is exclusively confined to women folk. It is a delightful sight to see waves after waves of women of all age groups without caste, colour and creed surging into this area well in advance mostly carrying on their head materials such as firewood, earthern pots rice, jaggery, coconut etc. to mark out specific spots for the preparation of their offerings to the Goddess. The important ritual in the ‘Pongala’ is the preparation of rice or varieties of sweet rice using hearths and the earthern pots in the open. The signal for lighting -the hearth is given by the chief priest of the temple at a prefixed auspicious time followed by the humming of the temple at Thidappally . Lightining of hearth at Thidappally is done by Melsanthi and at Panadara aduppu and Saha melsanthi.
The ceremony concludes with the sprinkling of holy water by temple priests at the appointed time in the evening accompanied by an aerial showering of flowers to the honour and glory of the Goddess Almighty. The temple authorities make all necessary arrangements for the welfare of this huge congregation with the active participation of the voluntary agencies, local people, members of the festival committee and the various government departments. They ensure law and order in the area with the support of the police and the volunteers specially detailed for the purpose. The enormous crowd which gathers here is reminiscent of the huge gatherings of the Kumbha Mela festival of North India.
Kuthiyottam
Kuthiyottam performed by boys with the hope that the Goddess almighty would be pleased to bestow on them beauty inward and outward, health, wealth and happiness. Boys below the age of 12years make the offering of Kuthiyottam. These young boys represent the wounded soldiers of the Goddess Mahishasura Marddini. On the third day of the festival these young boys receive the prasadam (offering) from the temple priest and start a seven day penance to purify their body and mind. For the purpose they have to pass through rigorous physical and mental discipline such as sleeping in mat, observing strict diet restrictions, staying in the temple etc. Besides these, the boys have to undergo such disciplines like prostrating 1008 times before the deity after their morning and evening oblations
Thalappoli
Thalappoli by girls are popular rituals made on the pongala day. A stream of young girls below 12 years. dressed in traditional attire holding Thalappoli starts very early in the morning with the hope that the Goddess almighty would be pleased to bestow on them beauty inward and outward, health, wealth and happiness
Vilakkukettu
Vilakkukettu as nercha reaches in Temple during night from 1st to 9th day of Pongala festival. One of the most spectacular sight of the festival is the vilakkukettu, in which beautifully decorated structures bearing idols and pictures of the Goddess are carried in the heads of the devotees, as they way to the temple from different parts of the city every night of festival accompanied by chendamelam music etc
Mandala Vratham:
Festival in connection with the annual Utsavam of Sabarimala
Vinayaka Chathurthi:
Pooja to the Lord Ganapathy
Pooja Vaypu:
Identical to Dussera festival (Saraswathy Pooja and Vidyarambham). On Vijayadashami day Melshanthi , Sahamelshanthi and eminent persons in the education field initiates vidya to children
Sivarathri:
Special poojas are arranged in Siva Temple.
Karthika
Karthika Deepam
Worship Timing:
Morning Pooja Timings:
4.30 AM – Palliyunarthu of Attukal Amma
5.00 AM – Nirmalyadarsana
5.45 AM – Ganapathy Homam
6.00 AM – Deeparadhana
6.30 AM – Usha Pooja
6.40 AM – Deeparadhana
6.50 AM – Usha Sreebali
7.00 AM – Kalabhabhiskekam
8.30 AM – Pantheeradi Pooja
12.00 – Ucha Pooja (noon ritual)
Noon Pooja Timings:
12.00 – Deeparadhana
12.10 PM – Ucha Sreebali (Noon Sreebali)
12.30 PM – Nata Adappu (Closure of Sreekovil)
Evening Pooja Timings:
5.00 PM – Nata Thurappu (Opening of Sreekovil)
6.45 PM – Deeparadhana
7.30 PM – Athazha Pooja
8.00 PM – Deeparadhana
8.05 PM – Athazha Sreebali
8.30 PM – Nata Atappu
History:
The 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.
Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of Kannaki, the famous heroine of Chilapathikaram, written by Elenkovadikal,the Tamil Poet. The story goes that after the destruction of ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left the city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on the way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal.
Attukal Bhagavathy is supposed to be the divinised form of Kannaki, the famous heroine of Chilapathikaram, written by Elenkovadikal,the Tamil Poet. The story goes that after the destruction of ancient city of Madurai, Kannaki left the city and reached Kerala via Kanyakumari and on the way to Kodungalloor took a sojourn at Attukal.
Kannaki is supposed to be the incarnation of Parvathy, the consort of Paramasiva. The all powerful and benign Attukal Bhagavathy reigns eternally supreme at Attukal and nurses devotees as a mother does her children. Thousands of devotees from far and near flock to the Temple to bend before the Goddess with awe and reverence to prostrate and redress their affliction and agony.
The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice prevalent in the southern part of Kerala and some parts of Tamilnadu. It is a ten-day programme commencing on the Karthika star of the Malayalam month of Makaram-Kumbham (February-March) and closing with the sacrificial offering known as Kuruthitharpanam at night. On the ninth day of the festival the world famous Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam takes place. The entire area of about 5 kilometre radius around temple with premises of houses of people of all caste, 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. The ceremony is exclusively confined to women folk and the enormous crowd, which gathers in Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day is reminiscent of the Kumbhamela Festival of North India.
