Thiruvananthapuram: As the Attukal pongala is all set to become bigger, attracting more women devotees temples across the city will help decentralise the crowd and make pongala a cosy affair.
Almost all the devi temples in temple zone from Koncharavila, Irumkulangara, Mukkolakkal will host pongala. Apart from this, shrines of other deities like Thaliyel Siva temple, Sreevarahpom temple will also provide all necessary amenities from water to brick for the devotees.
On Bypass road, the pongala offering extended from Anayara to Muttathara. Elsewhere the pongala is expected to extend till Edappazhinji, Kaudiar and beyond Kunnukuzhy.
“Over the time, pongala has broken the geographic barrier. All temples will provide required amenities for Pongala,” said an official attached to a temple at Pettah.
As per tantric experts due caution need to be observed when Attukal pongala is observed on the premises of temple dedicated to a different deity.
“In all temples the major deity are given more respective than others. So due respects should be paid to the respective deity before and during the pongala ceremony for Attukal devi,” said Srinivasan Potti, a tutor at Tantra Vidyapeeth.
As per the claims of Secretary C Ajith Kumar around 35 lakh women was part of Attukal pongala in 2015 and the number is expected to become 40 lakhs this year.
“Around 250 priests will be designated to pass on the holy water from temple to 10km circle, which falls under the festival zone,” he said.
