Nagercoil (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 19 : At least 40 lakh women devotees are expected to take part in the world-renowned Attukal Pongala ceremony at the Attukal Bhagavathy Amman Temple on March 3, festival committee representatives said on Thursday.
The festival committee representatives said that preparations are gathering pace for one of the largest gatherings of women in the world.
Speaking to reporters here, officials said the temple, popularly known as the "Women's Sabarimala," is fully geared up for its annual Masi grand festival, which will be held from February 23 to March 4.
Temple Joint Coordinator Vinod said elaborate arrangements have been put in place to manage the massive influx of devotees from across India and abroad. He stated that more than 40 lakh devotees are expected to participate in the Pongala ritual this year.
The Pongala ceremony, regarded as the highlight of the 10-day festival, will begin at around 9:45 am on March 3 with the ceremonial lighting of the hearth, known as 'Pandara Aduppu.'
As part of the ritual dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, women devotees will prepare the sacred offering in earthen pots in makeshift brick hearths set up across the temple premises and surrounding areas.
The officials said extensive arrangements have been made to ensure smooth conduct of the event, including crowd management, security, sanitation and medical support.
Special trains and buses have also been arranged to facilitate the travel of devotees to Thiruvananthapuram for the ceremony.
Meanwhile, a lunar eclipse coincides with the Pongala day on March 3. In view of this, the temple will remain closed from 3:10 pm to 7:00 pm. Devotees have been requested to complete their darshan before 3:10 pm, as the temple doors will remain shut during the eclipse period.
Earlier, festival committee office-bearers briefed the media in Nagercoil about the preparations and arrangements for the grand event.
Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, which is known as "women's Sabarimala", is famous for its Pongala festival. Women in huge numbers throng to the temple during the festival. Devotees prepare dishes to offer Goddess. Devotees prepare offerings in earthen pots and use logs of coconut trees for the fire.
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