Thiruvananthapuram: The capital city is filled with religious fervor as devotees of Attukal temple throng the streets getting ready for the Pongala festivities. Meanwhile, the authorities of the Attukal Temple Trust told the media that the final preparations for the Pongala have been completed.
The Pongala will begin at 10 am with the ritual ‘Sudhapunyaha’. After the Thottam pattu (a folk song) is sung about the killing of the Pandya king the celebrations will enter into the lighting of the Pongala fire at the temple.
At 10.30 am the temple Tantri, Kuzhikattu Parameswaran Vasudevan Bhattathiripad will hand over the fire from the Srikovil to the temple chief priest or Melshanthi, Goshala Vishnu Vasudevan Namboothiri. Following this, the Melshanthi will light the ‘Pandaraddupu’ or the main hearth.
Following this the lighted fire will be given to other priests who will then light the other hearths or panadaraddupu in the premises of the temple. This same fire is then used to light the hearths of the devotees gathered within a 10km radius of the Attukal temple.
The Pongala celebration will be over by 2.30 pm after the ‘Usha Puja’. The Pongala Festival will officially be over on 26th at 12.30 am.
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