Kerala CM will hold review meeting for 'Attukal Pongala' in coming week

As the Attukal Pongala, a 10-day cultural festival is due on March 1, all the arrangements have been made and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be holding review meeting in coming week, Sasidharan Nair, chairman, Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust said on Tuesday.

The festival is an annual ritualistic offering, which is made to the presiding deity of the Attukal Bhagavathy temple that is attended by lakhs of women devotees on the 9th day of the festival.

"The Attukal Pongala had made it to the Guinness Book of Records in 2009 for having the world's largest gathering of women (25 lakh) for a religious festival," Sasidharan Nair said.

"This year all arrangements have been made and we will be following green protocol. Chief Minister will be holding a review meeting in the coming week where everything will be finalized," he said.

This year around 45 lakh devotees are expected to come to Temple.

"We are expecting 45 lakh devotees this year, Officials of Attukal Temple Trust said.

"The festival will begin on March 1 and the women on a ninth day, cook pongala- made of rice, jaggery, coconut, and ghee - over makeshift brick hearth and offer it to the goddess," an official said.