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Tourists and expats join the Attukal Pongala festivities. The ceremony is usually exclusively confined to women. Photo: C_RATHEESH KUMAR

Devotees throng the roads after offering pongala. This festival at Attukal has been entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest congregation of women in the world. Photo: C_RATHEESH KUMAR

Corporation workers cleaning the city roads after the annual Attukal Pongala festival. The Pongala Mahotsavam is the most important festival of Attukal Bhagavathy Temple. Photo: MAHINSHA

ADGP Sreelekha offering Pongala at the festival. The offering of Pongala is a special temple practice in Kerala. Photo: MAHINSHA

An injured women is being taken by Health care workers to the hospital during the annual Attukal Pongala festival. The entire area of about 5 kilometre radius around temple emerges as a consecrated ground for observing Pongala rituals. Photo: MAHINSHA

Devotees braved the scorching heat to offer Pongala. Several were hospitalised after fainting. It is a ten-day festival conducted in February-March and on the ninth day, the Pongala occurs. Photo: C_RATHEESH KUMAR

A tourist family enjoys the Pongala festivities. More than 2.5 million women devotees assembled from different parts on the country. Photo: C_RATHEESH KUMAR

The Kizhakekotta Poura Samithi's Pongala offering during the Attukal Pongala festival was to seek blessings for the ISRO's Mangalyaan Mission. Photo: C_RATHEESH KUMAR

Officials at the Women's sub-jail at Attakulangara in the city take part in the Attukal Pongala festival. Photo: C_RATHEESH KUMAR