Attukal Pongala 2026: Date, Timings and Grace of the Goddess

In the sacred land of Kerala Attukal Pongala is regarded as a festival that expresses the living power of devotion, feminine strength and collective prayer. On this day lakhs of women sit under the open sky, cooking Pongala on earthen stoves as an offering to Attukal Amma and the whole city of Thiruvananthapuram begins to resemble a vast sacred altar. In the year 2026 Attukal Pongala will be observed on Thursday, 5 March 2026, when this special ritual will be performed on the Makayiram Nakshatra day in the Malayalam month of Kumbham. The festival is decided on the basis of the Malayalam calendar and Makayiram Nakshatra, not on a fixed lunar Tithi and the main Pongala ritual is completed during auspicious daytime hours according to temple tradition.

How is the date of Attukal Pongala 2026 decided

The date of Attukal Pongala does not remain the same every year because it is not tied directly to a particular lunar Tithi. The foundation of this celebration is the Malayalam Panchang, in which festival dates are decided by the months and Nakshatras of that regional calendar. Attukal Pongala is always observed on the Makayiram Nakshatra day in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, which usually falls in the latter part of February or the early part of March.

Attukal Pongala 2026: date and calendar basis

Detail	Time and date
Attukal Pongala 2026	Thursday, 5 March 2026
Related month	Malayalam month Kumbham
Nakshatra basis	Pongala on Makayiram Nakshatra day
Calendar followed	Malayalam calendar, not a fixed lunar Tithi
Main ritual period	Auspicious daytime as per temple tradition

Thus to understand Attukal Pongala it is not enough to remember only the date. One must also consider the working of Kumbham month and Makayiram Nakshatra, which form part of Kerala’s traditional astrological timekeeping.

What is Attukal Pongala and how is it linked with Attukal Amma

Attukal Pongala is a highly revered festival dedicated to Attukal Amma, worshipped in Kerala as a powerful form of the Divine Mother. The principal shrine of the Goddess is the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The festival has become a unique opportunity especially for women to express devotion, gratitude and heartfelt intention before the Goddess.

A distinctive feature of Attukal Pongala is that it is celebrated mainly by women devotees. Streets, lanes, open grounds and every available space around the temple and across the city are lined with rows of women who cook Pongala on earthen stoves. The moment when fire is lit on countless stoves at the same time becomes a powerful visual expression of the strength of feminine devotion.

Pongala muhurat and timings in Attukal Pongala 2026

The most important moment on the day of Attukal Pongala is when the sacred temple hearth is lit. This fire is seen as the formal beginning of the ritual and a sign of the Goddess accepting the offerings.

1. After the morning preparations and worship inside the temple the chief priest lights the main temple hearth.
2. This sacred fire is then carried out from the sanctum in procession and moves among the devotees.
3. As the flame reaches the rows of women, they light their earthen stoves from this fire and begin cooking Pongala.
4. The Pongala cooking period usually starts in the late morning and continues for several hours, until the main temple ritual is completed according to custom.
5. At the end of the observance temple priests sprinkle sacred water over the Pongala and bestow blessings and from that moment the Pongala is regarded as accepted by the Goddess.

The exact muhurat for Pongala each year is announced by temple authorities. Devotees make every effort to begin and complete their offering within this window, so that their Pongala is truly aligned with the ritual timing of Attukal Amma.

What is Pongala and how is it prepared

The offering made to the Goddess during Attukal Pongala is known as Pongala. It is a simple yet sacred sweet preparation cooked in earthen pots.

Traditional form of Pongala

Ingredient	Role and meaning
Rice	Base of the offering, symbol of purity and sustenance
Jaggery	Sweetness, contentment and auspicious results
Coconut	Sense of completeness and prosperity
Ghee	Symbol of purity, fragrance and divine grace
Earthen pot and stove	Simplicity, connection with earth and humility

While cooking Pongala a special detail is observed, that the preparation should rise and overflow. When the Pongala boils up and spills slightly over the rim, it is taken as a sign of auspiciousness, symbolising abundance and the acceptance of the offering by the Goddess.

Spiritual importance of Attukal Pongala

Attukal Pongala is far more than a festival of cooking. It can become a deeply moving experience of devotion, collective prayer and grace.

1. Symbol of surrender and humility
When women sit under the open sky with simple earthen stoves, preparing food with their own hands, it expresses that true devotion does not depend on outward display. By dedicating time, effort and food to the Goddess they express trust and gratitude from the heart.

2. Feminine strength and collective energy
Attukal Pongala is counted among the largest women’s religious gatherings in the world. The collective energy created by such a vast number of devotees praying together has a profound effect on the mind and clearly shows that feminine power is not limited to the home but has deep social and spiritual influence.

3. Prayer for wishes, harmony and protection
It is believed that taking part in Pongala brings relief from suffering, fulfillment of sincere wishes, family harmony and spiritual protection. Many women place silent or spoken prayers for their home, children, health and future at the feet of Attukal Amma.

Connection of Attukal Pongala with the legend of Kannaki

Attukal Amma is often linked with the divine transformation of Kannaki, whose story highlights truth, justice and feminine strength. When injustice is done Kannaki does not remain helpless. She awakens to protect dharma and assumes a form that is revered as a manifestation of divine power.

Through the observance of Attukal Pongala women do not only offer food, they also receive inspiration to raise their inner qualities of patience, endurance and love of justice to the level of spiritual strength. The Pongala prasadam is dedicated to that Divine Mother who understands the suffering of her devotees and grants them courage, protection and balance.

Preparations and disciplines followed during Attukal Pongala

Before and during Attukal Pongala many women maintain specific forms of self discipline in their conduct and routine.

• Several women observe fasts or light austerities on or before the day, so that body and mind remain light and attentive.
• Bathing, wearing clean traditional attire and minimal ornaments before leaving home are usually followed.
• While cooking Pongala many women continuously repeat prayers, hymns or divine names, turning the entire activity into a form of practice.
• After the ritual the Pongala is taken home as prasadam and shared with family members.
• On this day charity, feeding the poor and helping fellow devotees are also regarded as highly meritorious, so many participants keep a sincere intention of supporting others according to their capacity.

Inner message of Attukal Pongala 2026

Attukal Pongala 2026 is not only an event for Kerala or Thiruvananthapuram, it carries a gentle message for contemporary life as well. The festival reminds that deep devotion can be expressed through simplicity and that collective prayer and feminine strength together can create a great wave of positivity in society.

Those who cannot physically be present at Attukal Pongala can also honour the day in their own way. For instance, by offering a small preparation to the Goddess at home, by strengthening respect and support for women in daily life and by resolving to give more space to gratitude, surrender and fairness in personal decisions. This is the inner Pongala that can be lit in every home and every heart.

Common questions

On which day will Attukal Pongala be celebrated in 2026
In the year 2026 Attukal Pongala will be celebrated on Thursday, 5 March 2026. This date corresponds to the Makayiram Nakshatra day in the Malayalam month of Kumbham, which forms the basis for fixing the Pongala festival.

To which Goddess is Attukal Pongala dedicated
Attukal Pongala is dedicated to Goddess Attukal Amma, revered in Kerala as a powerful form of the Divine Mother. Her main shrine is the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, where the central celebrations of this festival take place.

What exactly is cooked as Pongala and how is it prepared
Pongala is a sacred sweet preparation made from rice, jaggery, coconut and ghee. It is cooked in earthen pots over earthen stoves and when the mixture boils and overflows it is considered an auspicious sign that symbolises prosperity and divine acceptance.

Is this festival limited only to Kerala or observed elsewhere also
The heart of Attukal Pongala is the Attukal Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, yet women from many other parts of India travel there for the festival. In places where Kerala communities reside, smaller observances inspired by Attukal Pongala and dedicated to the Divine Mother are also organised.

What spiritual benefits are believed to arise from participating in Attukal Pongala
Tradition holds that participating in Attukal Pongala with devotion brings relief from difficulties, fulfillment of heartfelt wishes, family harmony, protection and spiritual upliftment. The festival also becomes a powerful opportunity for women to feel and express their inner strength, devotion and patience.