Journalism of Courage
Attukal Pongala, a 10-day religious festival, celebrated at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala is extremely popular. A version of it was recently celebrated at Pune's Rasta Peth in the Ayyappah temple.(Express photo by Arul Horizon)
As part of the festivities, women devotees gather to offer a ritualistic sweet dish to the goddess or ‘Bhagavathy'. The Goddess-fondly referred to as ‘Attukalamma’ is said to be appeased by this ritual. (Express photo by Arul Horizon)
Attukal Pongala is known to be the largest women gathering on earth (Express photo by Arul Horizon)
In Attukal Pongala festival, women devotees offer pongala, a gruel made of rice, jaggery, ghee and coconut, to the presiding deity (Express photo by Arul Horizon)
In 2009, Attukal Pongala festival 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 (Express photo by Arul Horizon)
Attukal Temple is called the "Women's Sabarimala" as only women perform rituals (Express photo by Arul Horizon)
On the other hand, men undertake the pilgrimage to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala. (Pic source: Arul Horizon)
Women were dressed in white saris with golden border for the festival. (Pic source: Arul Horizon)
