Thiruvananthapuram became a sea of devotion on March 3 as lakhs of women came together to give Pongala at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. Renowned as one of humanity’s biggest women-led religious festivals, devotees used their earthen pots to make offerings of rice, jaggery and coconut in requests for blessings from Attukalamma. Pongala was especially important this year because it coincided with a total lunar eclipse and so temple timings could be modified.
Women gathered around makeshift stoves around the temple grounds from kilometers across the city to prepare the sacred Pongala. The ritual started in the morning and had to be completed before the eclipse peak, so devotion to the Pooram Nakshatra muhurat was even more important this year. The many thousands of women cooking alongside each other turned the city into a living altar of devotion.
The authorities helped facilitate the festival with a level of ease, despite the size of the crowds. Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh said all of the facilities were in place, with 52 water tankers across wards, strict traffic controls and safety measures. Police placed traffic restrictions that controlled the flow of devotees, while volunteers helped those participating all day.
Attukal Pongala is honored by the Guinness World Records as the biggest annual assemblage of women for a religious practice. It represents the devotion, prosperity and protection women have when, according to Attukalamma, they are blessed to be healthy and happy. The proximity to the lunar eclipse lent an unusual cosmic dimension, giving this year’s observance spiritual resonance.
The festival is more than a religious event; it is a cultural event showcasing women’s strength together. It also reflects Kerala’s special tradition of encouraging women as spiritual leaders, a spirit of power, and in one sense, in being part of a community. For Thiruvananthapuram, it is a moment of pride as it hosts one of the most extraordinary religious gatherings in the world.
Attukal Pongala 2026 was old, new and cosmic. When lakhs of women made their collective offering of Pongala, the festival reestablished its relevance and status as a symbol of collective faith and cultural identity. As the smoke of thousands of stoves rose into the sky, it was followed by prayers for peace, prosperity and divine blessings.
