Commuters move on a street illuminated by lights ahead of the ‘Attukal Pongala’ festival, in Thiruvananthapuram, on February 28, 2026. | Photo credit: PTI
A festive mood prevailed in the city on Sunday (March 1, 2026) as clocks wound down for the Attukal Pongala festival on Tuesday (March 3).
Tagged as one of the largest religious congregations of women in the country, thousands of families across Kerala and neighboring states flock to a six-kilometer radius of the famous Attukal Devi temple to offer the sacrament of rice and jaggery cooked on hastily assembled open hearths.
Residents and places of worship, including mosques and churches, usually open their doors to devotees to allow them to bivouac and prepare the sacrament.
Hundreds of devotees sleep rough on open ground prepared by residents’ associations. Many have pre-booked spots in the festival grounds to set up a Pongala bonfire. Business is brisk for vendors selling pots, kindling and bricks for starting open hearths. Several theaters have announced free screenings for devotees on the eve of Pongal.
High-decibel sound systems with deafening music and decorative lighting filled several locations in the city with a festive mood. Police attempts to curb noise pollution have been a challenging task for law enforcement agencies.
The Fire and Rescue Service identified places with a fire hazard in the festival grounds and positioned firefighting equipment, including firefighting units, accordingly. Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner K. Karthick reviewed the security and traffic arrangements for the event.
The police have announced a maximum deployment of 5,000 law enforcers, including women, on Pongal Day. They have leased routes for rapid movement of emergency services if there is a demand.
Police would use CCTV networks, aerial drones and watchtowers as force multipliers. They increased patrols and deployed plainclothes units to prevent petty crime such as theft of necklaces and purses. The police set up assistance services to search for missing persons, especially children who were separated from their parents in the rush of the festival.
The Ministry of Health has deployed medical teams, including those on two-wheelers, and ambulances at 10 locations throughout the festival grounds. She opened a special control room in the temple precincts.
The government has opened emergency rooms equipped with beds to treat heatstroke and burn patients throughout the festival area, including the Women’s and Children’s Hospitals, Thycaud and Government Fort Hospitals, as well as various schools and other institutions. It has also prepared the General Hospital and the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram to admit mass casualties.
The Department of Ayurveda and Homeopathy also opened clinics and emergency rooms in the festival grounds. The Food Safety Department insists that only government-registered groups can serve food and drinks to devotees. Food safety inspectors will inspect communal kitchens and distribution centers to ensure hygiene standards.
Published – 01 March 2026 15:28 IST
