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Attukal Pongala, a 10-day festival at Attukal Temple in Kerala, runs from March 5-15 in 2025. The main event is on March 13, where women devotees prepare a sweet dish for the goddess.
Attukal Pongala is a special festival celebrated only by women in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. (File pic)
Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This festival is dedicated to Attukal Devi and is known for its massive gathering of women devotees. It takes place in the Malayalam month of Kumbham which falls between February and March.
Women from different parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu participate in large numbers as they prepare a sweet dish in earthen pots to offer it to the goddess. The ninth day is the most significant, when thousands of women gather at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple to pray and seek the goddess’ blessings.
Here’s everything about Attukal Pongala 2025 including the date, puja timings, significance and rituals.
Attukal Pongala 2025: Date
The festival started on March 5, and will continue until March 15. The main event will take place on March 13.
Attukal Pongala 2025: Puja Timings
March 13, 2025:
- Aduppuvettu (lighting of the hearth) – 10:15 AM
- Pongala Nivedyam (offering) – 1:15 PM
- Purathezhunnalethu rituals – 11:15 PM
March 14, 2025:
- Kappazhikkal ritual – 10 PM
March 15, 2025:
- Kuruthi Tharpanam ritual – 1 AM
Attukal Pongala 2025: Significance
Attukal Pongala is celebrated in honour of the Goddess Kannagi at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Goddess Kannagi is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva.
According to the Tamil epic Silappathikaram, Kannagi’s husband, Kovalan, was falsely accused of stealing the queen’s anklet and sentenced to death. After proving his innocence, Kannagi left Madurai and set out for the Kodungalloor temple. On her way, she stopped at Attukal, where she is believed to have taken the form of Attukalamma.
Attukal is said to be the place where her anger subsided. Here, she became compassionate and started blessing those who worshipped her. Devotees believe that she listens to their prayers, fulfills their wishes and removes their sufferings. Attukal Pongala is a festival of devotion, faith and women’s strength.
Attukal Pongala 2025: Rituals
Attukal Pongala is a special festival celebrated only by women in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This ninth day of the festival is the most important and known as Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam.
On this day, women begin by taking a bath early in the morning. They then prepare a sweet dish as an offering to the goddess. The word “Pongala” means to boil over which is why the dish is cooked in an earthen pot.
The offering is a rice-based sweet dish made using coconut, jaggery and plantain. This dish, known as payasam, is offered to the deity at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
It is believed that the goddess is pleased when a devotee makes this offering. As per tradition, only women can perform these rituals.
Attukal Pongala has set records for massive gatherings. In 1997, around 1.5 million women took part in the festival. In 2009, the number rose to 2.5 million. Both times, the festival entered the Guinness Book of World Records.
- Location :
Thiruvananthapuram, India, India
