The annual Karthika Pongala festival at Chakkulathukavu Bhagavathy Temple at Neerettupuram here was celebrated with religious fervour on Monday. A large number of devotees from different parts of Kerala and outside offered Pongala (rice payasam) to the presiding deity as part of the festival.
The festival began with Nirmalya darshanam at 4 a.m. It was followed by Ashtadravya Maha Ganapati Homam. Temple chief priest Radhakrishnan Namboodiri exchanged the sacred fire from the sanctum sanctorum to temple Karyadarshi Unnikrishnan Namboodiri who lighted the main Pongala hearth in front of the temple at 10.30 a.m. The fire was then transferred to thousands of small hearths prepared by devotees on the temple premises and the surrounding areas.
A religious meeting was inaugurated by Kodikunnil Suresh, MP. A cultural meeting was also held in connection with the festival in the evening.
