The harvest festival of Kerala 'Pongala' begins at Attukal Temple in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The annual festival could break the Guinness world record for the participation of most number of women.
The Pongala festival began at 10.15 am on Wednesday when the head priest lit the holy hearth in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Millions of women are expected to take part in the Pongala festival, preparing special offering for the goddess. The devotees had started pouring in even days before the main festival and many of them could be seen reserving their spots to perform the Pongala. In 2009, the festival created a world record when more than 25 lakhs women attended the annual festival. This time, the temple authorities expect at least 40 lakhs women to throng Attukal to perform the Pongala.
Going green
Instructions regarding the green protocol have already been released. Raw bricks, plastic covers, and cotton dresses are banned in the areas where the Pongala stoves would be set. The devotees shouldn't set their stoves on the stone paved walkways beside the roads. They are also instructed not to wear gold jewellery, if possible, to avoid any incidents of theft. The devotees are also instructed not to use plastic while performing the Pongala ceremony.
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