Attukal Bhagavathy Temple

The Attukal Bhagavathy is a shrine in Kerala, India. The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongala festival, in which over a million women participate. Attukal Temple is situated just 2 kilometer for Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

History

The Goddess Kannaki (Parvathi) is the main deity in this temple. Kannagi was married to Kovalan, son of a wealthy merchant. But Kovalan met a dancer and spent all his riches on her forgetting his wife. But after he was penniless, he went back to Kannagi. The only precious thing left to be sold was Kannagi's pair of anklets. They went with it to the king of Madurai to sell it. But an anklet was stolen from the Queen

begins with thottampattu (a song about Bhagavathy) which is being chanted for nine days continuously. On the ninth day, women throng the temple with ponkala pots and ingredients for cooking. Ponkala preparation starts morning and by noon would be over, then the melsanthi (chief priest) carrying Devi's sword goes around the temple sprinkling holy water and showering flowers over the preparation. After this, the idol of the Devi is being taken in procession to the Manacaud Sastha Temple with the accompaniment of thalapoli, kuthiyottom, Annam, vahanam and, caparisoned elephants. Percussion in the procession includes chenda, nagaswaram, and band and neyyandi melam. There will also be Kumbhakudam (pageantry) during the procession. En route, the procession is received with nirapara (a pot filled with paddy and decorated with flowers usually arranged in front of traditional Kerala houses). The procession returns next morning.

The festival has gained international attention since it was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "largest annual gathering of women" in the world. The record was based on the number of pilgrims on 23 February 1997, when 1.5 million assembled to offer pongala to Attukal Devi.It is estimated that 3 million women attended the 2010 edition of the festival. Actor Mohan lal got married in this temple.

Row over Trademarking Attukal deity ---- Attukal Bhagawathy Temple obtained trademark protection for the picture of the deity and the sobriquet ‘Sabarimala of Women from Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks in the beginning of the year 2009. However Kerala High Court registered a suo motu case against ^[5] trademarking the deity picture and the title 'Sabarimala of Women' based on a fax from R S Praveen Raj, a Scientist from Thiruvananthapuram. The High court issued notice to the Controller General and the Temple trust taking serious note of the fact that a trademark on deity ^[6] picture prejudiced the religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution

which looked similar to Kannagi's. When he tried to sell it, he was mistaken for the thief and beheaded by the king's soldiers.

Kannagi got infuriated when she heard the news and rushed to the King with the second pair of anklet. She broke one of the anklets and it contained rubies while the Queen's contained pearls. She cursed the city of Madurai and due to her chastity it came true. She attained salvation after the Goddess of the city appeared before her. On her way to Kodungalloor, Kannagi passed Attukal. She took the form of a little girl. An old man was sitting on the banks of a stream, when the girl went to him and asked him whether he could help her cross it. Surprised to find the young girl alone, he took her home. But she disappeared. She came back in his sleep and asked him to build a temple where he found 3 golden lines in his grove. He did the same. This is at the location of the present Attukal temple.

Pongala Festival

Attukal Pongala is the main festival of this temple. Millions of women gather every year in the month of Kumbham around this temple and prepare Pongala (rice cooked with jaggery, ghee, coconut as well as other ingredients) in the open in small pots to please the Goddess Kannaki. During the festival nearly five kilometres around the temple become covered with smoke from the 'aduppu's (temporary hearths made of 3 to 9 bricks). A holiday is declared in the city on that day. Tourists from other countries also participate in the festival. Only women are allowed at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Trivandrum during the pongala. Attukal Bhagavathi Temple :Attukal Bhagavathy temple (Mudippura), knows as the Sabarimala of women The chief priest to the temple goes around carrying the sword of the Goddess, blesses the devotees, sprinkles holy water and flower petals on them, procession of the deity's idol, Thalapoli, Kuthiyottam, Caprisoned elephants, Chendamelam, Nadaswaram, Kumbhamkudam, Classical music recitals, Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali. Ponkala is an offering usually made in Bhagavathy temples, prepared in the form of payasam (a liquid food in Kerala), ingredients are rice, jaggery, and coconut kernel and plantain fruits. The festival