Trivendrum and the Attukala Pongala

Monday, February 25, 2013
Trivendrum, Kerala, India
Trivendrum was our last destination from which we were flying home, and while there was a temple and palace to see in the town, we'd picked a homestay on the outskirts and were really just here to repack our case and prepare for an early flight home so we had an added bonus.

We took the train and arrived at a very busy Trivendrum station, incredibly busy, with lots of women everywhere, and while we were waiting for a tuk-tuk, the girl in front of us told us that the next day was a festival, the Attukala Pongala, which attracted women from all over Kerala, with over 3 million expected! We went into town for our last dinner in India and a final bottle of Sula wine, only to find it was another dry day because of the Pongala!  Afterwards the tuk tuk driver took us to see the preparations for the festival. Women were starting to line the streets with hearths made from the bricks and kindling, topped with a clay pot to be used to cook rice pudding ...





There were crowds approaching the temple ...

 

Once we reached the temple there were lots of women, some queuing to enter the temple and and other sleeping on the ground ...



The temple was spectacular with all the lights ...



There were shrines to the goddess on every junction and lights and music blaring from racks of speakers



  

























 




All this meant that the next day we couldn't sightsee in the city as roads would be closed and it would be gridlocked with people, so instead we spent a lazy day, but at lunchtime we came across a small group of women locally waiting for their pots to be blessed.

 

Earlier, the priest had lit the hearth in the temple, then the fire was transferred to all the women's hearths where they cooked their rice. Now they were waiting for the priests to bring holy water and sprinkle it on the puddings which sanctifies the offering to the goddess. Finally the priest arrived, firecrackers went off, and the pots were blessed.





The ladies then packed up and took their pots home, to take some as an offering at their own temples or take home to share with family and friends and we were given some rice too.

A very Indian finale to our safari, as all that is left now is the journey home.

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