Attukal Ponkala

Attukal Ponkala
There is an ancient Bhagavathy temple (Mudipura) at Attukal that becomes alive with joyous celebrations on the on Bharani day in Kumbhom (February-March). This festive temple festival is known as the Attukal Ponkala. Spanning a period of over nine days, the Attukal Ponkala Festival begins with a Thottampattu (a song about Bhagavathi), which goes on during all the nine days. On the ninth day, several thousands of women assemble in the temple compound with ponkala pots and the required quantities of rice and other ingredients for Ponkala.
Ponkala is an offering usually made in Bhagavathy temples, prepared in the form of pudding by cooking rice, jaggery, coconut kernel and plantain fruits in varying combinations. . After the head priest has blessed the ponkalas, the Devi is taken in procession to Manacaud Sastha Temple accompanied by caparisoned elephants. In this procession, famous troupes of percussion instruments like chenda Nagaswaram, band and Neyyandi Melam take part. There is also a Kumbhakudam (pageantry) during the procession.