Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 3 (ANI): As the grand celebrations of Attukal Pongala 2026 commenced, Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh on Tuesday assured that all necessary arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the festival, as lakhs of devotees thronged the city.

He further stated that there were no issues regarding essential facilities and that the authorities were fully prepared to address any additional requirements.

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Speaking to ANI, "I am very happy to say that all the arrangements have been made, and lakhs of pilgrims have arrived in Trivandrum. They are very happy, and within a few minutes, everything will be settled... Now, there is no problem. We have placed 52 tankers in all wards, with one tanker for each ward, and 8 tankers full of water have been deployed around the Attukal Temple. Any further demands will be addressed as needed..."

On the transportation front, Mayor Rajesh said that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had arranged adequate vehicles to facilitate the movement of devotees.

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"The KSRTC has already deployed vehicles for the convenience of the people. There is no problem; everything is in place," he added.

The Attukal Pongala is a 10-day festival celebrated at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, with the ninth day witnessing a massive gathering of women devotees.

Millions of women prepare divine offerings made of rice, jaggery, and banana in earthen pots and offer them to the Goddess Attukal Devi.

Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, which is known as "women's Sabarimala", is famous for its Pongala festival. Women in huge numbers throng to the temple during the festival.

Earlier in February, Temple Joint Coordinator Vinod stated that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to manage the massive influx of devotees from across India and abroad. He stated that more than 40 lakh devotees are expected to participate in the Pongala ritual this year.

As part of the ritual dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, women devotees will prepare the sacred offering in earthen pots in makeshift brick hearths set up across the temple premises and surrounding areas.

The festival holds a special place in world records, having been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for the largest gathering of women, with 2.5 million participants. (ANI)

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