Festival of sacrifice and unity: Reflections on Attukal Pongala

Attukal Pongala is a ritual in which women from all walks of life, even travel from faraway places, and offer themselves to the activity with joy, enduring the scorching sun, heat, and smoke as sacrifices for the mother goddess. Although Pongala offerings are offered in many other temples, it can be said that there is no other Pongala in India that is as celebrated and popular as Attukal Pongala. Tens of thousands of devotees flock to Thiruvananthapuram city during the week of Pongala, and lakhs on the day of Pongala. Although Pongala and offerings are no different from the old days, the preparations and businesses related to it have changed a lot.

A huge business worth lakhs and crores of rupees is also going on behind the scenes as part of Pongala. In the old days, people used to prepare and bring everything needed for Pongala from home, including rice, fruits, ghee, coconut, jaggery. Now, Pongala kits have become a big business. It is also very convenient in modern times. The producers and the distributors get significant sums of money by selling earthen pots, bricks, towels, bay leaves, flowers and other items. It should not be forgotten that this large gathering of female devotees also provide tangible material blessings to many people, along with spiritual fulfillment.

Similar to Sabarimala, Attukal Pongala also offers an experience where everyone who comes becomes one, regardless of size. There, high-ranking officials, big film actresses, business owners, wage earners and job-secured people offer Pongala to Devi in an equal manner, like children raised by a single mother, is a delightful experience. This time, it must be said that the use of plastic was very less due to the instructions of the district administration and the publicity through the media. After the Pongala, during the interval between the sprinkling, a good-quality annadanam was held at all the main junctions of Thiruvananthapuram. As usual, Christian and Muslim places of worship in the city had opened their doors to provide relief from the scorching sun. The facilities provided by the Palayam Juma Masjid and Palayam St. Joseph's Cathedral to the Pongala devotees are quite exemplary.

The work done by the 3,000 or so sanitation workers of the municipality, who cleaned the city quickly after the Pongala, cannot be praised enough. There were remnants of the Pongala left on some side roads. Residents' associations should take the initiative or inform the corporation about this. By nightfall, 2.5 lakh bricks were collected. Providing these bricks free of cost to those under the Life Housing Scheme should be seen as generous service. The temple trust office bearers, government agencies, the policemen including women who maintained law and order, the food vendors, those who decorated the city with various decorations, and the government and private servants who arranged transportation facilities all deserve appreciation.