Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 3 : Kerala MLA and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan on Tuesday hailed the Attukal Pongala 2026 as the "real Kerala story", highlighting that different communities came together to host the devotees during the festival.
His remarks come amid the mounting controversy over the surrounding the film The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond, which has triggered debate over the alleged misrepresentation of Kerala.
Emphasising the state's secular fabric, he said, "All the communities are the host for the devotees coming from various parts of Kerala. This is our legacy."
"This is the real Kerala Story, we must declare that the state is secular... After the elections, we will declare that this is secular Kerala," he further 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.
The Pongala ceremony, regarded as the highlight of the 10-day festival, was held today with the ceremonial lighting of the hearth, known as 'Pandara Aduppu.'
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.
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.
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh has assured that all necessary arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of the festival, as lakhs of devotees thronged the city.
"The KSRTC has already deployed vehicles for the convenience of the people. There is no problem; everything is in place," he added.