As part of the spiritual grandeur of Attukal Pongala 2026, Thiruvananthapuram transforms into a 10km yagashala.
Thiruvananthapuram Mar 3: Kerala’s capital turned into a vast 10-kilometre-long yagashala on Tuesday as lakhs of women gathered for the annual Attukal Pongala festival.
However, a rare lunar eclipse reshaped the traditional schedule and prompted temporary changes in temple rituals.
The ritual stretch extended nearly 10 kilometres from the precincts of the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple through major roads and narrow bylanes.
From early morning, women set up temporary brick stoves across the city. Soon, rows of earthen pots filled with rice, jaggery and coconut began to simmer.
As a result, the entire capital transformed into a unified altar dedicated to Goddess Attukal Amma.
Rituals Begin, Eclipse Interrupts
The ceremonies started at 9:15 am with ritual purification. Shortly after, priests performed the ‘Aduppu Vettu’ at 9:45 am. They carried the sacred flame from the sanctum and lit the first hearth.
Gradually, thousands of stoves caught fire, and sacred smoke rose across the skyline.
However, the festival coincided with a lunar eclipse this year. Therefore, temple authorities temporarily suspended darshan during the afternoon hours.
This rare celestial alignment added gravity to the celebrations. At the same time, it required strict adherence to eclipse-related temple norms.
Devotion Remains Unshaken
Despite the brief pause in darshan, the spirit of devotion remained strong across the 10-kilometre ritual zone. Women continued preparing the Pongala offering with focus and discipline.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje also participated in the rituals. Later, she shared her prayers and greetings on social media, highlighting the spiritual significance of the festival.
Ritual Cycle Resumes After Eclipse
Once the eclipse phase passed, temple authorities resumed the ritual schedule. At 2:15 pm, priests supervised the offering of Pongala nivedyam.
In the evening, the grand procession of the Goddess was set to take to the streets. Thereafter, ceremonies were expected to continue late into the night.
This year’s Attukal Pongala stands out for its rare blend of mass devotion and celestial alignment.
The festival once again demonstrated how age-old traditions adapt seamlessly to astronomical events while preserving their spiritual core. (With IANS inputs)