Thiruvananthapuram, March 3 – As lakhs of women converged on Thiruvananthapuram for the renowned Attukal Pongala festival, the Palayam area, located in the heart of the state capital, quietly reaffirmed Kerala's culture of coexistence.
Just a few metres apart stand the Palayam Juma Masjid, the St. Joseph's Cathedral, and the Palayam Mahaganapathy Temple, a unique streetscape that has long embodied the city's pluralistic ethos.
At the spiritual centre of the festival is the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, popularly known today as the "Sabarimala for Women."
Dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathy, the temple is steeped in legend.
Local folklore links the deity to Kannaki from the Tamil epic Silappathikaram, who is believed to have stopped at Attukal on her way to Kodungallur after avenging her husband's injustice.
Over time, the shrine evolved into one of the largest congregations of women in the world, with Pongala, the ritual offering of sweet rice cooked in earthen pots, entering the Guinness record books for mass participation.
An estimated over four million people participate in the event, which began on Tuesday morning and ends around 3 pm.
Even as devotion defined the day, it was compassion that shaped Palayam's response.
Ahead of last Friday's prayers, the Imam of Palayam Juma Masjid called upon the faithful to extend wholehearted hospitality to the women and children arriving for Pongala, a message that resonated widely on social media as a testament to Kerala's secular fabric.
Facilities for freshening up, resting spaces, and drinking water were arranged at the mosque premises.
Arrangements for drinking water and resting spaces were also made available at the nearby St. Joseph's Cathedral.
Local groups in Palayam prepared and distributed breakfast and lunch.
Across the city, various groups joined in by offering food, water, buttermilk, fruits, and juices. In doing so, Palayam once again transformed the festival into a celebration not just of faith, but of shared humanity and social harmony.