Unseasonal rains disrupt Attukal Pongala festival
Unseasonal, unexpected rains hit the Attukal Pongala festival in Thiruvananthapuram, where millions of women gather to cook sweet rice-jaggery porridge as part of a beloved tradition.
The downpour left the temple grounds waterlogged, making it tough for devotees to celebrate as usual.
Women were forced to move their cooking spots
Waterlogged areas forced many women to move their cooking spots far away or squeeze into rare dry patches—definitely not what they hoped for.
The local authorities had days to prepare but didn't manage to fix the issue, drawing criticism from regular participants like Ambika, who said safe access should have been ensured.
Festival holds Guinness World Record
Attukal Pongala holds a Guinness World Record as the world's largest women-only gathering—drawing millions of women every year.
For many devotees, disruption to their annual ritual—which some blamed on inadequate planning—was disappointing and avoidable.