Popular Temple
Attukal Bhagavathy Temple
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
The Devi temple of Attukal Pongala, where lakhs of women cook the offering together
At a glance
- Location
- Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Presiding deity
- Goddess Bhagavathy (Attukal Amma)
- Temple type
- Popular Temple
- Tradition
- Shakta
- Nearest railway station
- Thiruvananthapuram Central (~2 km)
- Nearest airport
- Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (~6 km)
- Best time to visit
- October to March. For Pongala itself, February-March, though the city is exceptionally crowded then.
History
The Attukal Bhagavathy temple stands beside the Killi river within Thiruvananthapuram. The goddess is called Attukal Amma, and tradition identifies her with Kannagi, the heroine of the Tamil epic Silappadikaram, understood here as a form of the Devi. The present structure is the result of modern renovations.
Spiritual significance
The temple is best known for Attukal Pongala in February-March, when women fill the streets around it, cooking a payasam of jaggery, rice and coconut in earthen pots as an offering to the goddess. In 2009 the gathering was entered in the Guinness World Records as the largest assembly of women for a religious activity.
Plan your visit
Darshan timings
Fixed morning and evening darshan periods, closed in the middle of the day. Arrangements are entirely different during Pongala.
Timings change on festivals and special occasions. Confirm with the temple's official source before you travel.
The temple is inside the city, a few kilometres from both the railway station and the airport. During Pongala the whole surrounding area is closed to traffic.
Continue your Durga bhakti
Devotional texts for this deity, already on the site.