Thank you sir for the vivid write up.
The second legend is known to most. Nowadays fasting is only one day, the
previous day, and after preparation, most women take food.
Temperature in Trivandrum is very high. All care is taken to limit fire is only
in oven, Fire forces are there in all streets and roads.
Women are directed to cover head/hold umbrella, drink more water till they
perform Pongal. Free water bottles, food is given.
Earlier women had to bring every thing for pongala, now everything is available
at different areas near temple.
The vehicles are redirected, 70% come by own vehicle. Mostly it is a restricted
holiday (if not Sunday) for central government also.
Gopalakrishnan
On Sunday, 25 February, 2024 at 08:51:34 am IST, Rajaram Krishnamurthy
<[email protected]> wrote:
In 2009, the ritual had made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for
being the largest religious gathering of women on a single day when over 2.5
million people took part in it.There are two stories related to the origin of
the temple. The first story goes like this. Mulluveetil is anancient house in
this place.One day in the evening the karanavar(head of the family)was doing
his oblation in the Killi River.There he saw a beautiful little girl nearby the
river. The girl requested the karanavar to help her incrossing the river.
Karanavar helped the girl, stunned by seeing a little girl along the river
side, hetook the girl to his house. The Other members of the family gave a warm
welcome to the girl. Aftersome time the little girl disappeared from that
house. On that day the Karanavar had a dream. In thedream the girl revealed
herself as the goddess, the incarnation of Goddess Vishnumaya. The girlshowed a
grove near his house and said that she had drawn 3 lines in a particular spot
in the grove, heshould build a shrine in that place. The next day the karanavar
went to the spot and saw the linesand immediately a temple was built in that
place.The second mythology of the origin of the Attukal temple is related to
Chilappathikaram, a famouswork composed by Elenkovadikal in the sangam period.
Chilappathikaram tells the story of Kannaki andson of a rich merchant Kovilan.
Kannaki was Kovilan's wife. After their marriage, Kovilan fell in lovewith a
dancer, Madhavi. He spent all his wealth for Madhavi. When he lost everything
he returnedback to kannaki. At that time the only wealth remaining with her was
a pair of leg anklets. Kannakitold Kovilan to sell one of her anklets. Kovilan
went to the market to sell this anklet. At that timeMadurai was ruled by King
Nedunj Cheliyan1, who belonged to the Pandya Dynasty. When he came to themarket
soldiers of pandya Raja mistakenly thought that the anklet with Kovilan
belonged to the Queen of thekingdom. The Queen's Ornament was stolen by
someone. The Angry king Ordered to kill Kovilan.When Kannaki heard the news,
she rushed to the Palace and showed another anklet with her.The anklet of the
queen was made of pearls but the kannagi's anklet was made with Ruby.
Distressedking and Queen ended their lives after this incident. Thus Kannaki
cursed that the entire Madurai kingdombe burnt. She excluded children and old
people from the curse. Her curse becomes a reality whichresults in huge
economic and human loss. Later she withdrew her curse. After this She came
tokerala through Kanyakumari. On the way to Kodungallur(a place in Kerala) she
came through Attukaland rested there. Ladies there gave a warm welcome to
kannaki by making pongal. Later a templewas built in the place where kannaki
took rest. This is another story behind the origin of Attukal Temple.Main Deity
is Kannaki and the other deities in the temple are Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha,
LordSerpent, Madan Thampuran. Chattambi Swamikal, a famous Social reformer in
the history of keralafound this divine temple as a place for meditation. A
temple of Chattambi Swamikal can also befound here. Pongal is usually a dish
prepared in Tamil Nadu. Here the main Offering to the goddess is Pongal.Pongal
is a sweet Dish made with Rice, Jaggery, Coconut and water in earthen pots.
This dish isprepared in a fireplace made with bricks. These 5 elements show the
relationship of Human life withPancha Bhutas.The Pongala Festival is held in
the month of February/March. The festival lasts for 10 days. AuspiciousAttukal
Pongala is done on the 9th day of the festival. Women from different parts of
the state,neighboring states, even from different countries come to take part
in this festival. Every street,commercial spaces, public places, offices,
schools, colleges are filled with Womenfolk for thispongala festival. Attukal
Temple is also called 'Sabarimala Of Women. The pongala spreads nearly5km from
the circumference of the temple. Women take vratham for 9 days to participate
in pongala. The name is aattukkal Bhagavathy is a misnomer; in Tamil it is
ATRUKKAAL=ஆற்றுக்கால்- killi river border and pongal festival; but modified
without meaning as aattukal pongala. KR IRS 24224//25224
On Sat, 24 Feb 2024 at 20:18, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty
<[email protected]> wrote:
ATTUKAL PONGALA
Dear friends,
Today is the world famous Attukal Pongala in this year. Attukal is a Devitemple
close to Trivandrum.Attukal pongala is considered as all women’s Sabarimalai
pilgrimage andworship.
Though there are many temples famous for Pongala in Kerala, Attukalis most
famous. Attukal Devi is Kannaki from Madurai on her way to Kodungallur in
Central Kerala.
The pongala ovens start from the temple, along all roadsand streets goes over
3-4 Kms from the temple. Lakhs of ladies from differentparts of India, from
world also, perform pongala as a prayer. The oven atAttukal temple is called
Pandaraaduppu. After lighting oven in temple, fire is extended to light ovensof
women, lighting from the oven in the temple. Women of all age participate.No
age restrictions.
My daughter in law performs pongala at Trivandrum, in anoven somewhat close to
the temple.
There is relay of the Attukal pongala in Malayalamchannels and already started
.
Gopalakrishnan 25-2-2024
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