Attukal Pongala ആറ്റുകാൽ പൊങ്കാല
On Attukal Pongala day, the streets of Thiruvananthapuram become an open-air hearth. Women cook a sweet rice offering for the goddess of the Attukal Bhagavathy temple in earthen pots lined up for kilometres.
| Year | Occasion | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Attukal Pongala (Pooram star in Kumbham) | |
| 2027 | Attukal Pongala (Pooram star in Kumbham) |
Calculated for Thiruvananthapuram with sidereal (Lahiri) positions. Temple and devaswom announcements take precedence.
How the date is fixed
Pongala falls on the Pooram nakshatra in the month of Kumbham (February to March), usually close to the full moon. It is the ninth day of the ten-day festival at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple. The temple trust announces the exact timings, including the lighting of the main hearth (pandara aduppu).
The offering
Pongala means "to boil over". Rice, jaggery and grated coconut are cooked in a new earthen pot over a brick stove, and the moment the mixture boils over is taken as the goddess accepting the offering. Other offerings such as mandaka and therali are also made. When the priests sprinkle holy water over the pots in the afternoon, the offering is complete.
The goddess and the legend
Attukal Amma is identified with Kannaki, the heroine of the Tamil epic Silappathikaram. After avenging her husband by burning Madurai, Kannaki is believed to have rested at Attukal on her way to Kodungallur.
Scale
The gathering is known as one of the largest single-day gatherings of women anywhere. It was recorded by Guinness World Records in 2009. On Pongala day, hearths spread from the temple to East Fort, Thampanoor and beyond, and the city arranges special trains, buses and water supply.
Questions
Can anyone offer Pongala?
The ritual is performed by women. Visitors of any background are welcome to watch, and many offer help with water and supplies.
When is Attukal Pongala?
On the Pooram star in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, usually February or March. See the table above for the calculated date.