Location: Attukal Bhagavathy Temple and its premises, Thiruvananthapuram city, south Kerala.

This video shows Pongala the annual festival celebrated at Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The word Pongala means to boil over and refers to the ritual offering that is most pleasing to the deity - a porridge of rice, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins.

Only women are allowed to participate in this ritual. Right from the previous night thousands of women, regardless of caste, creed and colour, assembled in the temple premises and on either sides of the roads leading to the shrine to perform Pongala.

Getting there:
Nearest railway station: Thiruvananthapuram central about 2 km from the shrine.
Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 7 km from the shrine.