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Kerala's Attukal Pongala Festival: Elaborate Arrangements for Millions of Devotees

Kerala's Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan has announced that all preparations are complete for the smooth conduct of the annual Attukal Pongala festival. The state has arranged additional KSRTC bus services and more trains to manage the expected rush of over 40 lakh devotees. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally attended a review meeting to assess the arrangements for the 10-day event. The festival, held at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, is renowned for its massive gathering of women devotees and holds a Guinness World Record.

Key Points: Attukal Pongala 2024: Transport & Arrangements for Devotees

  • Elaborate arrangements for massive festival
  • Extra KSRTC buses & train services
  • CM Pinarayi Vijayan reviewed preparations
  • Over 40 lakh devotees expected
  • Holds Guinness record for women's gathering
2 min read

"Elaborate arrangements in place for Attukal Pongala; additional KSRTC bus, train services arranged,": V N Vasavan

Kerala makes elaborate arrangements for Attukal Pongala, with extra KSRTC buses & trains for millions of women devotees attending the world-record festival.

"Compared to last year, better and more extensive arrangements have been made this time. - V N Vasavan"

Thiruvananthapuram, March 3

Ahead of the annual Attukal Pongala festival, Kerala Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan on Monday said that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the event, with additional transport facilities arranged for devotees.

Speaking about the preparations, Vasavan said that three review meetings were convened to assess the arrangements for the festival and that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan personally attended one of the meetings.

"Three meetings were held to review the arrangements for the Attukal Pongala. The Chief Minister personally attended one of the meetings. All preparations have been completed to ensure the smooth conduct of the Pongala. All necessary facilities have been arranged for devotees to return safely after offering Pongala," the minister said.

He further informed that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will operate additional bus services to manage the rush of devotees.

"KSRTC buses will operate additional services, and more trains have also been arranged. Compared to last year, better and more extensive arrangements have been made this time," he added.

The Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, with the ninth day witnessing a massive gathering of women devotees. Millions of women prepare divine offerings made of rice, jaggery, and banana in earthen pots and offer them to the Goddess Attukal Devi.

Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, which is known as "women's Sabarimala", is famous for its Pongala festival. Women in huge numbers throng to the temple during the festival.

Earlier in February, Temple Joint Coordinator Vinod stated that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to manage the massive influx of devotees from across India and abroad. He stated that more than 40 lakh devotees are expected to participate in the Pongala ritual this year.

As part of the ritual dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, women devotees will prepare the sacred offering in earthen pots in makeshift brick hearths set up across the temple premises and surrounding areas.

The festival holds a special place in world records, having been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for the largest gathering of women, with 2.5 million participants.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Excellent planning. Managing a crowd of 40 lakh people is no small feat. The fact that the CM himself attended a review meeting shows the importance given to this festival. Hope the traffic police and sanitation departments are also fully prepared. Wishing all the devotees a safe and blessed Pongala.
S
Sarah B
Reading about this festival is fascinating. The scale is incredible – holding a world record! It's impressive how the community and authorities come together to organize something of this magnitude. The logistics must be a nightmare, but it sounds like they have it under control. A great example of cultural celebration.
V
Vikram M
Good arrangements are announced every year, but the ground reality near the temple can be chaotic. Last year, my aunt faced issues with drinking water availability. I hope this time they have truly made "better and more extensive" arrangements, especially for basic amenities and crowd management in the narrow lanes.
M
Meera T
As a woman who has participated before, the feeling of togetherness during Pongala is unmatched. Lakhs of women, from all walks of life, cooking together for the Goddess... it's powerful. The transport facilities are a big help for those coming from far away. May Attukal Amma bless everyone. 🪔
R
Rohit P
The "women's Sabarimala" – what a fitting title. It's one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Proud that such a festival is in our country. The authorities must also ensure proper waste management after the event. All that pongala offering material needs to be disposed of responsibly.

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