The largest congregation of Women in a single place at one time was witnessed in Attukallu Bhagavathy Amman Temple, Kerala,India.
The Legend.
A few centuries ago, the head of Mulluveettil family was met with a young girl who asked him to help her cross the Killi river in which he was performing his ritualistic prayers. The Karanavar (family head) knew it was no ordinary girl, because of her charm and charisma. He bowed before her and willingly took her to the other side of the river. He invited her to his home nearby and the whole family was preparing to receive this girl. However, they couldn’t find her as she had disappeared by the time Mulluveettil family was ready to receive her.
The Karanavar and his family were a little puzzled. The Karanavar saw the girl once again in his dream, in the same day as he saw the little girl. The girl appeared as an icon and told him to give her an abode in the nearby Kavu (a grove where shrubs and wild animals including snakes are left undisturbed). She told him that he would see three lines at a specific point in the kavu and she wanted her abode erected there.
With joy, the old man reached the Kavu and to his surprise, he found three lines marked on the ground. He knew it was a sacred spot and he wasted no time erecting a temple. The temple became the abode of the goddess, who later came to be known as Attukal Devi (Attukal Amma). Local devotees offered their prayers in this temple and soon the fame of this temple spread far and wide.
The people also offered to renovate the temple and a bigger temple with a new icon was installed. The goddess was represented as a woman with four arms, each bearing a spear, sword, skull and shield. The then high priest of Badarinath Temple led the consecration ceremony.
The girl that appeared before the Karanavar of Mulluveettil family is known to be Kannagi (Kannaki). Kannagi is the famous heroine of Chipathikaram, a Tamil epic written by Elenkovadikal. She is the incarnation of Sree Parvathy, the consort of Lord Siva
Story:
The capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, is enveloped in smoke, as a sea of women devotees make their offerings. They are celebrating Attukal Pongala.
Attukal Pongala (Attukal Ponkala) is the most reputed festival of this temple, which attracts devotees from all parts of India. Tens of hundreds of women devotees throng together on the day of Pongala with their offerings to the Goddess and to seek blessings. The festival commences on Karthika day of Malayalam month Makaram-Kumbham (February-March).
Pongala festival is a ten-day long festival and on the 9th day of the festival is the famous Pongala. On that day, tens of hundreds of women throng to the temple to offer pongala in earthen pots. Pongala is a rice porridge, which boils over. The rush of women is so intense that the Pongala ground spreads outside the temple premises and into the public roads, and the courtyards of houses, government offices, bus and train station, etc…
Women offer pongala in a radius of about 7 Km, essentially turning the whole of Thiruvananthapuram City into the holy grounds for the women to offer Pongala. All the transport buses plying from the city are reserved for women on Pongala day. No number of words can do justice to frenzy of the day’s festivities, which wholly belongs to women devotees.
The Attukal Pongala festival also reached Guinness Book of World Records of largest annual gathering of women, when 1.5 million (15 Lakhs) women offered pongala in February 23, 1997 and its achieved by 2.5 million (25 Lakhs) women offered pongala on March 10, 2009. It is estimated that about 3.7 million (37 Lakhs) women offered pongala in February 26, 2013. The number of women devotees reaching this place increases every year.
How to Reach.
Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is just 2 Km from the main city of Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) and is located at a rural-looking area, although the surroundings are highly urbanized.
By Road : Trivandrum Central Bus Station located at Thampanoor is about 2 Km from the shrine and the City Bus Station located at EastFort is about 1.5 Km form the shrine.
By Rail : The nearest Railway station is Trivandrum Central Railway station located at Thampanoor is about 2 Km from the shrine.
By Air : The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, located at Valiyathura is about 7 Km from the shrine. Many international air carriers operate daily international flights to Middle East, Male and Sri Lanka from Thiruvananthapuram.
Considered the biggest congregation of women in the world, Attukal Pongala is popularly referred to as the Sabrimala of women. While the Attukal temple is overflowing with devotees, women across the city can also be found with their makeshift brick stoves and earthen pots, cooking their offerings. A sweet dish called “payasam” with rice, jaggery and banana are part of the offerings.
Temple Address
- Attukal Bhagavathy Temple
P.B.No. 5805, Manacaud P.O.,
Thiruvananthapuram – 695 009,
Kerala, India. - Phone: +91 471 246 3130
- Fax: +91 471 245 6457
- Email: attukal@vsnl.com
- Website: www.attukal.org
Source:
http://www.attukaldevi.com/index.htm
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