Thiruvananthapuram: Elaborate arrangements have been put in place for the annual Pongala festival at Karikkakom Sree Chamundi Devi Temple, scheduled to be held on Monday, with thousands of women devotees expected to participate despite the rising summer heat.Temple authorities said the ritual will commence at 10.15am with the lighting of Pandara Aduppu, marking the formal beginning of the Pongala offering. The chief priest will bring the sacred flame from Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) and light the main hearth to the accompaniment of traditional percussion, following which the flame will be passed on to devotees to light thousands of makeshift hearths arranged across the temple premises and nearby roads. Pongala, a ritualistic offering of rice, jaggery and coconut cooked in earthen pots, is performed predominantly by women devotees seeking blessings of the goddess. Karikkakom temple, dedicated to Chamundi Devi, witnesses large gatherings every year during the Malayalam month of Meenam, with devotees lining up hours in advance to prepare the offering. Taking a cue from the large-scale arrangements made for Attukal Pongala this year, authorities have strengthened crowd management, health and sanitation facilities. Officials said temporary drinking water points, medical aid centres and resting areas have been set up in and around the temple to help devotees cope with the heat. Special attention has been given to fire safety, with fire and rescue teams deployed at key points. Police personnel will be deployed to regulate traffic and ensure smooth movement of devotees, while volunteers and temple staff will coordinate the orderly arrangement of hearths. In view of the expected rush, devotees have already begun marking spaces using bricks along roads and open grounds, a common practice seen during major Pongala festivals in the city. Parking facilities will be available at the Marketing Complex near the highway. Apart from regular services, more buses will be deployed. Railways will provide a halt for all trains at Kochuveli (Thiruvananthapuram North) station on Monday. Health officials have also issued advisories urging participants to stay hydrated and take precautions against heat-related illnesses, as similar festivals in the city have seen large crowds and the need for emergency medical support. There will be a facility to offer pongala along roads within a 6km radius of the temple. Around 400 police personnel will be deployed for duty, and fire tenders will be available on call. Kerala Water Authority will make special arrangements for water supply to the temple on Monday as the mercury levels are rising. The ritual will conclude in the afternoon with nivedyam and sprinkling of holy water by temple priests, symbolising the acceptance of the offering by the deity.
