‘Pongala Mahotsavam‘ (Ponagala festival), is a 10-day religious festival that commences in the Malayalam month of Kumbham (Feb – March) on the auspicious day of Karthika star. This is nine days ahead of the Pongala day.
The annual Pongala festival begins with the ‘Kappukettu Ceremony’ and ‘Kudiyiruthu of Bhagavathy’ at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. These rituals are accompanied by the beautiful musical rendition of ‘Thottampattu‘.
Thottampattu is an important ritual held in Attukal Bhagavathy temple. Kudiyiruthu of Bhagavathy (Goddess) is a ritual invoking the Goddess to a temporary shed made of thatched coconut leaves in the temple premises. The ritual of Thottampattu begins after the diety is invited to the thatched shed.
The Kappukettu ceremony commences with the singing of Thottampattu by Asan (the lead singer) and team from the ‘Kannaki Charitam’ (the story of Kannaki), symbolizing the victory of good over evil. ‘Thottampattu’, an integral part of the Kappukettu ceremony, takes place inside the thatched shed which is positioned in front of the temple, facing the sacred deity within the sanctum. The ritual song continues for ten days, and the story told on each day is also related to the rituals in the temple.
Kappukettu Ceremony and Kodangallur Bhagavathy
The Kappukettu ceremony is intricately linked to Kodangallur Bhagavathy, with a belief that during the Pongala Mahotsavam, Kodangallur Bhagavathy visits Attukal Bhagavathy. Through Thottampattu, it is imparted that, Asan and the devotees are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Kodangallur Bhagavathy, offering prayers with anticipation. As Asan passionately sings, his eyes closed in devotion, he occasionally opens one eye to gaze into the sacred sanctum, searching for the presence of Kodangallur Bhagavathy. In a moment of divine significance, a celestial light enters the sanctum, signaling the arrival of Kodangallur Bhagavathy. Asan, with joy and reverence, shares this blessed news with the devotees through Thottampattu.
Immediately after the announcement of the arrival of the Goddess, the temple atmosphere becomes enchanted with hymns and prayers of Bhagavathy. After this, the Kappukettu ceremony takes place where the Temple Priest first invokes Kodungllur Bhagavathy into the sword of Attukal Bhagavathy. The ‘Kappu’ which is prepared observing deep penance and devotion will be brought to the temple, sprinkled with holy water and purified and handed over to Melshanti (The Chief Priest).
Then one of the two Kappu, an ornament made in Panchaloham, is tied onto the Goddess’s sword and the other onto the hand of Melshanti. Kappu is tied on Melshanti’s hand after sprinkling him with holy water as a sign of purification. The Kappu is worn by the Melshanti throughout the festival.
On the evening of the ninth day of the festival after Pongala, a divine procession of Attukal Amma accompanied by Melshanti, makes its way to the Manacaud Sastha temple. Upon the Goddess’s return to Attukal temple the next day, the Kappu is removed from both the Goddess’s sword and the hand of the Melshanti. The the 10-day Pongala Mahotsavam will then conclude with the ‘Kuruti Tharpanam’.
Attukal Pongala is marked as the largest annual gathering of women by the Guinness World Records. The ceremony which has now extended to the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram city and is exclusively confined to women folk who gathers in and around Thiruvananthapuram on this auspicious day.
Throughout the festival an atmosphere of celebration and festivity prevails in and around the temple premises. Bhajans, musical concerts, classical and folk dance and other arts forms are performed during the festival. Processions of colourful floats of the deity from all around, carried with pomp and devotion by the devotees gathering in the temple premises is a beautiful sight to watch.
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