Attukal Temple

The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is a Hindu shrine located at Attukal in Kerala, India. It is situated near the heart of the city, two kilometres away from the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, East Fort, in Thiruvananthapuram. The goddess of the temple is identified with Bhadrakali, mounted over a vetala. She is also identified with Kannagi, the heroine of Ilango Adigal's epic Cilappatikaram.

The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongal festival, in which over three million women participate. A festival that has figured in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the single largest gathering of women for a religious activity, the Attukal Pongala continues to draw millions of women with each passing year. Devotees believe that all of their wishes are fulfilled by the goddess, whose worship can allow them to attain salvation. The goddess is often venerated as all three goddesses of the Tridevi: Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati.

One regional legend of the temple is based on the legend of Kannagi in the Cilappatikaram. According to the epic, Kannagi who was married to Kovalan, the son of a wealthy merchant. After their wedding, Kovalan met a dancer named Madhavi and spent all his riches on her, neglecting his wife. When he became penniless, he returned to Kannagi. The only precious item left to be sold was Kannagi's pair of anklets. The couple went with it to the king of Madurai to sell it. Coincidentally, an anklet had been stolen from the queen of Madurai, which resembled Kannagi's. When Kovalan tried to sell one of Kannagi's anklets to the king, he was mistaken for the thief, and was beheaded by the king's soldiers without a trial.

Kannagi was infuriated when she heard the news and rushed to the king with her other anklet. She broke one of the anklets, which contained rubies, while the queen's had contained pearls. She cursed the city of Madurai to burn, and it is said that due to her chastity, the curse was fulfilled. Kannagi is said to have attained salvation after the goddess of the city appeared before her.

According to regional legend, it is said that on her way to Kodungallur, Kannagi passed Attukal. She assumed the form of a girl. An old man sat on the banks of a stream, when the girl went to him and asked him if he could help her cross it. Surprised, to find the young girl alone, he took her home. After some time, she disappeared. She appeared in his dream and asked him to build a temple on the spot he found three golden lines in his grove. The old man did so, which is regarded to be the location of the present Attukal temple.

A different legend identifies the goddess of Attukal as Bhadrakali, who emerged from the third eye of Shiva to slay the asura king Daruka.

Attukal Pongala is the main. Attukal Pongala Mahotsavam is a 10 days festival which falls on February – March every year (Malayalam month of Kumbham). The festival begins on the Karthika star with the traditional Kappukettu and Kudiyiruthu ceremony, the idol of Devi, is embellished with Kappu (Bangles).

The 9th day of the festival, 'Pooram day' is the major attraction, The Attukal Pongala day and the festival will conclude with the Kuruthitharpanam at 10th day makam star night.