The annual festival season for Aattukal temple is in. It’s a major occasion for celebration in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, capital of the state of Kerala; Gods own country.
Always a local holiday for the district, fame of this temple and festivities became wide spread after the Guinness book entry for the largest women gathering in the world, on the day of Pongala- offering cooked items in the temple premises to GODDESS.
For all those who have been to this temple at least once during their life time, the repeating festive seasons are an alluring nostalgia. Wherever we are, our minds are drawn to Aattukal Amma during these days. Whenever we visit Thiruvananthapuram, we are naturally drawn to pray and seek her blessings.
It’s the same with me too.
As my parents were employed there, I could also spend few years at Thiruvananthapuram. Now as I closely watch reports on the multifarious offerings, my memories fly past to the yester years where we could also actively participate in the annual festival.
The season would begin with daily visits to the temple from the very first day of the “Utsavam” now popular as the “Aattukal Pongala Mahotsavam”. Almost all households in the city would initiate and be on Vratam for 10 days. It’s a type of fasting that helps one to purify inside out.
Thalapolli- was my initial offering. This was meant for all young girls. Wearing new costume in traditional attire, and a floral garland; walking from our home or from the home of a friend or relative, nearby; bearing a Dhali (Thalam) filled with many items as offering to the Goddess, and an attractive lamp lit amidst the same; the experience is beyond description. Main concern is to keep the lamp alit.
For my young brother, the major event was participating in the Kuthiyottam. He was submitted under the care of Aattukal Amma for a week. Kids around 10years wear only white small dhotis or towels during these days. They get up and bath in the temple pond, 5 times a day and do namaskar as such without drying themselves. They wake up at 3am and can take only food served from the temple, as prasadams. They were not supposed to even touch their parents during these days. Kids used to a comfortable life can be seen sleeping on coconut fronds or plain mats, without a word of difference. It’s indeed a miracle, how these otherwise extremely mischievous and smart kids adjust with each other and get accustomed to the strict temple routine prescribed with so much ease. On the midnight of the last day, they are dressed up with crowns and floral garlands and taken around in procession, as followers for Devi’s ezhunellippu to Manacaud Sastha temple. During this time their cheeks are pierced with shoolam and this is removed only after arriving at the temple.
This procession is a gala event in itself. The pomp and galour Oh God! It truly is an evidence of the faith that devotees have on Aattukal Amma.
During this festive season, we used to visit the temple every day. My father would visit him mostly twice or thrice, everyday, especially when my brother was dedicated for Kuthiyottam. We missed him so very much. What his feelings were, I never had the courage to ask! Questioning parents at that age were of course beyond our level of imagination during those days.
The enjoyable activities were participating in the entertainment programmes on the stage. In fact, my brother had his Arangettam in Bharatnatyam at this blessed atmosphere.
The day of Pongala festival is the special occasion for Mammas, as well. Although girls and small boys are permitted to be with them, greatest fun was that only ladies are allowed to be in that locality during this time. My mother who could seldom otherwise carry weight, used to bear the bricks, pots, firewood and grocery, all by her self and that too for more than a kilometer. My mother, who can’t bear the sun at all, would stand and offer the Pongala from 9am to 4pm, without any complaint whatsoever. She would be satisfied only by offering all possible items, in different pots, one after the other. She would also take pains to offer extra pots for her relatives or friends who were in need of help. Even after the offering, we carry the prasadams similarly back home and that walk may be few kilometers more…
My reminiscence date back to the 1980’s and then itself the crowd was so huge. The Mahotsavam had so much of women participation that vehicles practically can’t ply amidst that ocean of devotees.
The devotion and sacrifice borne by the whole lot who has gathered there has always left me gaze at the marvel of equality.
Unlike my native city, with a totally conservative mindset and deep roots into all superstitions, which had more thrust for religious rituals and less on spirituality; here there was no discrimination of age, caste, creed or religion whatsoever. The cosmopolitan environment was so serene that all differences of profiles and segments and barriers in the society dissolved and all were just sublime devotees. No doubt the place became famous as Women’s Sabarimala…
With fervent prayers on Aattukal Pongala, 19.2.2011
SARVA MANGALA MANGALYE, SHIVAE SARVARTHA SADHAKAE,
SARANYE THRAYAMBAKE GOURI, NARAYANI NAMOSTUTHE....
SRISTI STHITHI VINASHAAYA, SHAKTHI BHOOTHE SANATANE
GUNATHRAYE GUNAMAYE DEVI NARAYANI NAMOSTUTHE
SARANAGATHA DEENARTHA PARITHRANA PARAYANAE
SARVASYARTHI HARE DEVI NARAYANEE NAMOSTHUTHE...
For legend, recipes of Pongala offerings, and more information on the festival, 2011; please log onto suitable links noted below.
Initially I thought of preparing an article on the festival. However, there are lot of authentic information on the legend, history, programmes and even recipes of the offerings. Hence limited to a memory re-cap. For those interested to explore more, please do visit the following sites.
Ø http://attukalpongala.blogspot.com/
Ø http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attukal_Temple
Ø http://www.drpaulose.com/general/attukal-ponkala-festival
Ø http://en.petitchef.com/recipes/therali-appam-attukal-pongala-special-fid-691977
Ø http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2009/02/attukal-pongala-festival-at-attukal.html
