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.
According to mythology, 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.
For more information: http://www.attukal.org/index.htm
How to Reach:
Nearest Railway Station: Thiruvananthapuram Railway Station
Nearest Airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport
